


lodestar

by ndnickerson



Category: Nancy Drew - Carolyn Keene
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, College, Engagement, Established Relationship, F/M, Graduation, Marriage Proposal, Missionary Position, Nancy Drew Files, Post-Canon, Resolved Sexual Tension, Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-05
Updated: 2013-03-18
Packaged: 2017-12-04 10:21:58
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 29,827
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/709674
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ndnickerson/pseuds/ndnickerson
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written for nmcompton's birthday. Nancy graduates college and isn't quite sure what she wants to do with her life, only that there's one particular man she wants to share it with.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is set post-Files, and works kind of like alternate canon, if Nancy had chosen to attend a college other than Wilder in the On Campus series. So it's like an On Campus post-series fic minus all the bullshit drama.

"Nancy! Congratulations!"

Her mortarboard cap still on her head, her robe parted to reveal the purple and white wrap dress she wore beneath, Nancy greeted her father with a huge hug. "Thanks," she said, grinning as she released him, the tassel hanging from her cap swinging and brushing against her cheek. "I can't believe it!"

The auditorium was a roaring mass of friends and family members, all chattering excitedly, swarming for the exits after the ceremony. Her father assured her that they didn't need to rush for their lunch reservations, so Nancy took the time to greet the other guests, as Bess and George were surrounded by their own exuberant relatives. Hannah gave Nancy a delighted hug, as did Nancy's Aunt Eloise. Eloise's husband Seth shook Nancy's hand, and she returned it with a grin. She had invited Ned's parents as well, and Edith embraced her, then James shook her hand.

She saved Ned for last, and he grinned at her as he picked her up in a huge bear hug. "Congratulations, Nan," he said, his dark eyes alight.

Mindful of their audience, Nancy limited herself to returning the hug and giving him a brief kiss on the cheek before he put her back down. "And you're sure you don't want me to hit your ceremony this afternoon?" she asked, tilting her head. "I mean, it's only fair..."

Ned shrugged. "I'm sure you've had enough of graduation ceremonies for one day," he told her, grabbing her hand to give it a brief squeeze before he released her. "Besides, I'm only going because _someone's_ insisting," he said, shrugging in his mother's direction, his eyes twinkling.

Edith shook her head with a chuckle. "Sweetheart, I've been there for every single graduation, including the one you had from preschool. Don't make me break my streak."

Nancy had spent a year after her high school graduation solving mysteries, but when she applied to colleges, she was faced with a difficult choice. She was accepted to several, including Emerson, Wilder, and Northwestern.

A part of her had wanted to go to Emerson. Ned would be finishing his undergraduate degree while she was there for her first two years, and they would be able to spend time together. Bess and George had been accepted to the University of Illinois at Chicago, Bess studying theatre and George taking social work classes. Once Ned graduated Emerson, though, Nancy would be four hours away from her friends and family—and Ned, unless he decided to stay on for a master's program at his alma mater.

Wilder had seemed like it could be a good compromise. It was midway between River Heights and Emersonville, and it had an excellent journalism program. But Nancy just didn't have a good feeling about it when she toured the campus, or when she spoke to the staff of the campus newspaper. She would be alone there, very alone, and as independent as Nancy was, she just didn't want to attend Wilder.

At Northwestern she would be alone too, but not so alone. Bess and George would be in Chicago too, and her father and Hannah would be a relatively short drive away. Nancy loved the city, and the people she met at Northwestern during her tour. She wanted to attend the school, but it made the most sense for her to do so as a graduate legal student. In the end, she decided to attend University of Illinois at Chicago with Bess and George, and reapply to Northwestern once she finished working on her bachelor's degree.

Even so, she had been heartbroken to turn down admission to Emerson, knowing that she and Ned would be able to see each other even less while they were attending classes so far apart. They would still have their summers together, still be able to see each other over school breaks, but she couldn't shake the feeling that Ned was disappointed she hadn't chosen to attend Emerson.

Nancy's freshman year at UIC was difficult, her first semester especially. She hadn't taken classes for the year since her high school graduation, but River Heights High School was a world away from college. During the first two months she solved two cases—but cutting class to pursue clues left her scrambling to catch up with her schoolwork. She didn't have time to make new friends, and solving mysteries had felt familiar, and comforting; Bess, George, and Ned weren't available to help her, but it had helped a little.

Even so, when her history professor cautioned her that missing additional classes would almost certainly guarantee she would need to repeat the course, Nancy decided to focus on her coursework instead. Catching up meant a lot of hours in the library and studying, and left her with little time to talk to her friends and family; George was constantly at practice, Bess in the drama department, and their schedules coordinated so little that she often didn't see them for weeks at a time.

And that hurt. Missing Ned's calls, seeing the messages he left, especially once they began to taper off, that hurt too. She returned his calls as often as she could, but she couldn't help feeling a distance between them, both physical and emotional. She wanted so badly to spend time with him, with Bess and George too, but she felt overwhelmed by it all, panicked at the prospect of falling even further behind.

When she went home for Christmas break her freshman year, a part of her had almost dreaded seeing Ned again. She knew he wasn't happy with her. Their last phone call had been right before exams, and she had been slammed with work, barely able to catch a few hours of sleep between studying, working, and testing. She had been able to see Ned all of once during fall semester. He called and asked if she could go out with him a few days before Christmas, and Nancy had agreed, her stomach sinking at the prospect of what their date might mean, whether he would ask for them to have a "talk" or not.

Instead, when Ned picked her up, they went to the Pizza Spot and grabbed a booth along with their pepperoni slices and sodas. He asked how her exams had been, and slowly she had relaxed, trying to tell herself that she was overreacting.

She had reached for his hand. "Ned, it's been... it's been so much. I've just been overwhelmed, and the work, and... and I miss you so much. I miss all of you, but I've missed you so much. I wish we had been able to talk, to see each other more often."

Ned had smiled at her. "Freshman year is hard," he had said sympathetically. "And I miss you too, sweetheart. I miss you so much. If you're starting to get the hang of things, though, next semester shouldn't be quite so bad..."

She had nodded. "I hate that I can't work on cases the way I did," she admitted to him. "I just don't have the time; I can't do both. And maybe we can go ahead and plan to see each other over spring break? At least that will give me something to look forward to..."

And they had made time for each other. During Ned's last three semesters at Emerson, and Nancy's next three at UIC, she figured out how to manage her time, and she made keeping in contact with Ned, and Bess, George, and her father, a priority. She made a standing date on Fridays at lunchtime with Bess and George so they could catch up with each other before Bess went to drama practice and George to volleyball or softball practice, and she and Ned had one of their marathon phone calls at least once every two weeks, much to the chagrin of Nancy's roommate.

When Nancy started her junior year, though, everything changed. Ned had applied to graduate schools, and he had been accepted to the University of Chicago. He and Mike found a small two-bedroom apartment near campus to share while Ned attended school and Mike worked in the city, and suddenly, for the first time since she was seventeen, she and Ned were actually able to see each other regularly.

A part of her had been worried that their relationship worked because they spent so much time apart; a small part of her had worried that what they had was based on the way they had felt about each other when they were teenagers, that if they spent any real length of time together, they would find that they had changed, grown apart. Absence had made the heart grow fonder, but spending time together had become a novelty. She didn't want to become bored with their relationship once they were able to spend a lot more time together.

And she didn't. They went on two or three dates every week, along with their standing study date on Sunday afternoons. At first they used the library at UC, and then it evolved to making dinner together at Ned and Mike's apartment on Sunday nights, the two of them sprawled together on the couch studying before and after. Usually they were alone, since Mike spent his time with Jan over the weekends, but sometimes the four of them hung out together. It felt comfortable, almost domestic, and the rare times they weren't able to have their Sunday time together, Nancy was left feeling irritable and unsettled. She loved every moment they were able to spend together, and the intimacy of being alone together for hours at a time, unsupervised, was almost intoxicating. Often, after those Sunday night study sessions, they ended up in his bed together, making out, then going a little further, a little further. She left his place later and later, until they finally agreed that she should just sleep over and leave in the morning. Mike didn't care, and more than a few times Nancy and Jan exchanged shy smiles as they crept out of their boyfriends' rooms on cool mornings.

And then, a week after she turned twenty-one, just before exams started, they went out Saturday night, and afterward ended up at the apartment alone, in his bed together. Unlike every previous time, though, this time when he gently slipped her shirt off, when she wrapped her legs around him and held him to her, their caresses didn't stop. He made love to her for the first time that night, and when they moved together, gazing into each other's eyes, Nancy was speechless at the love and adoration she saw on his face, the love and adoration she felt in return. It felt right, after so long, to take that step in their relationship, and she hadn't regretted the decision since. Ned had been so tender and patient with her, so gentle and sweet the first times they had made love, never going faster than she felt comfortable.

They had spent even more time together during her senior year, during his second year in the master's program. In the spring her courseload was light, and Ned began an internship with a firm in Chicago while working on his final project. She had a drawer at Ned's place, her own toothbrush and spare phone charger, and while they definitely weren't living together by any stretch of the imagination, she did spend at least a couple of nights a week sleeping over at his place.

And she definitely, _definitely_ was not telling her father about it. Nancy in no way felt ashamed of what they were doing, and she didn't regret it, but she was equally sure that her father wouldn't approve. He would be disappointed in her if he found out that she and Ned were having premarital sex, and telling him how much they loved each other wasn't going to change that.

But today, finally, after so long, they were both graduating college, Nancy for the first time, Ned for the second. Ned had decided to stay in the city, starting a full-time job thanks to the experience he had gained through his internship. Nancy had decided to take a year off school, probably get a job, just to see if she liked the field before she went back for her master's—or maybe she would find a job she loved, one that wouldn't require a master's. For a while she had liked the idea of following her father's footsteps and earning a law degree, but Ned was friends with a few law students—and from everything they had described, Nancy just wasn't sure that was the kind of life she wanted. Becoming an investigator who helped solve cases, maybe working for attorneys or law enforcement in that capacity? That appealed to her more than anything, but she still hadn't quite made up her mind.

That Saturday was a flurry of activity. Carson had reserved a large table for their party at lunchtime, and afterward Nancy went to Ned's graduation ceremony with his parents. She had wanted to be there for him. He hadn't insisted that she go, especially since her aunt and uncle were visiting, but she had wanted to support him, to congratulate him once he earned his master's degree. She knew how much effort and dedication it had taken, and she was so proud of him.

After his graduation ceremony, Edith and James dropped Nancy off at her dorm so she could pick up her Mustang, the car's trunk and passenger areas already full of her belongings. The four of them had agreed to a graduation party in the backyard of the Drew home that night, and Hannah had been planning for the event for months now, making sure she had a complete guest list and plenty of snacks and drinks for everyone.

Ned walked her to her car. "Thanks for coming. You didn't have to, I know it was boring..."

Nancy reached for his hand and squeezed it. "It wasn't so bad," she teased him. "Plus, I don't know what it is about seeing you in a mortarboard that's so sexy..."

Ned chuckled and picked her up, spinning her around. "So I'll see you at the party tonight."

"You'd better be there. Hannah will lose her mind," she told him sternly.

"Oh, we'll be there. We'll _all_ be there." Ned's grandparents had come to his master's graduation ceremony as well, but practically all of his entire extended family had responded that they would be coming to the party that night. Ned had already predicted that they would be violating noise ordinances an hour after it began.

When they reached her car, Ned clasped her hand again, and she turned to him, both of them aware that his parents were waiting to drive Ned back to his own place, so he could pick up his car. "I know your aunt and uncle are visiting, but could we have dinner tomorrow? In the city?"

Nancy searched his eyes for a moment, then nodded. "I should be able to do that," she told him. "They aren't flying back until Wednesday and my week is open, so I can get away for a little while."

She hated that if she and Ned decided to have sex on Sunday night, she wouldn't be able to stay and linger in his arms for too long. She didn't have a curfew, but she was also very aware that her father would not be pleased, were she to do the walk of shame into his house Monday morning, especially with Carson's sister and brother-in-law visiting.

"Good," he said with a smile, and gave her the first genuine kiss of the day. She slipped her fingers into his hair as he pressed his mouth to hers, kissing her so sweetly. "I can't wait, Nan."

The party was indeed enormous. Nancy, Ned, Bess, and George had their own central table in the backyard, and soon the entire backyard and most of the house was just an incredible surge of people. At least Bess and George shared many of the same relatives; otherwise, Nancy privately thought, they would have had to rent the community building. Or possibly an entire state park. Nancy enjoyed meeting many of Bess and George's relatives, and seeing Ned's family members, many of whom she recognized from spending time with him over holiday celebrations, and attending weddings and birthday parties with him over the past few years. Edith had even passed along an invitation to a baby shower for Ned's cousin in a few weeks.

Edith had long treated Nancy as a member of her family, even a little like the daughter she had never had, and Nancy was glad. While Hannah had been a fantastic mother to her for as long as Nancy could remember, Edith had always seemed supportive of Nancy's relationship with her son, even though Nancy had put him into more dangerous situations than she could count.

Many of the attendees had babysitters waiting at home or went to bed early, so once the presents were opened, the cake demolished, and congratulations given all around, the guests of honor were dismissed. A few of Ned's fraternity brothers came in for a while, including Andy, Howie, and Maury, sampling the punch and Hannah's cheese straws before they started to drag Ned out with them—Nancy was a little surprised that she didn't see Mike among them. Nancy, Bess, and George had planned to go out for a drink or two after, as well.

Ned caught Nancy before they departed. "Tomorrow," he said, his gaze on hers.

She nodded. "Tomorrow," she said with a nod, and reached up to draw him down to her for a soft kiss.

All three of the girls were looking forward to taking a break after the strenuous set of exams and final projects they had just been through. They had already celebrated right after George's last exam with a night out, followed by a few drinks back in Bess and George's dorm room, but now they were finally, officially finished with school. George had earned her bachelor of science degree in kinesiology after she had become interested in physical therapy, and Bess had earned her bachelor of fine arts in theatre performance. Nancy's degree was a bachelor of arts in criminology, law, and justice, and while she had adored her classes, the few cases she had been able to solve in Chicago while working on her degree had been incredibly exciting. She didn't think she would ever be able to give those up. The trick was just figuring out how to take solving mysteries from a particularly fun hobby to a career.

The three of them were just generally discussing their plans over martinis. Bess had started interning at a Chicago playhouse during the spring shows, and was on her phone, looking up photos on Facebook from the most recent premiere. George had done some volunteering at a rehabilitation facility and in a hospital, and was just talking about the pros and cons of each, when Bess gasped.

George turned to her cousin, cutting herself off mid-word. "Let me guess. Someone just beat your best score in—"

Bess shook her head vehemently, wisps of her pale-blonde hair flying free of her high ponytail, as she turned her phone to show the screen to her friends.

"Wow," George commented, raising an eyebrow.

Nancy blinked at Bess's phone screen. Bess had pulled up her page and scrolled down to find the photos, and a post made by Jan Teller only a few minutes earlier had caught her eye. Of course it had, Nancy realized; Bess always had been drawn to diamonds. Jan had taken a photo of her left hand, a beautiful diamond solitaire ring on her ring finger.

_Mike just proposed!_ she had captioned the photo, which already had twenty likes.

Nancy swallowed, handing the phone back to Bess, and without thinking murmured, "Ned asked me to have dinner with him tomorrow."

Bess's blue eyes were wide as she glanced up at Nancy's face. "Oh my God, really?"

Nancy nodded slowly, then made a soft noise. "I'm sure it's nothing. Just our own little celebration." She brought her martini glass to her lips and downed half the drink in one long sip.

"But..." Bess drawled, putting her phone down and propping her chin on her hand. "He's working at the same place where he had the internship, right?"

Nancy nodded. "Mmm-hmm."

"And if Mike and Jan are going to be getting married soon, they're probably going to be looking for their own place..."

Nancy blushed a little, looking down. While Bess and George knew that Nancy and Ned spent a lot of time together, she was still somewhat shy about discussing their activities with her friends. Bess had dated many of her fellow drama students, and George had dated a few guys during their undergraduate years, but neither of her best friends had found a steady relationship yet, and Nancy didn't want to rub it in their faces. They already knew how much Nancy and Ned loved each other.

A few weeks ago, though, Bess had started seeing an assistant director at the playhouse, and he was a few years older, more mature, than the students Bess had dated before. Nancy was hopeful, but then she always was, and since Bess was happy, she wanted Nancy and Ned to be happy, too.

George made a face and tipped back the rest of her own martini. "We just _graduated_ ," George pointed out to Bess. "Let the poor girl breathe for a minute. Just because you're already hearing wedding bells where Ross is concerned—"

" _Todd_ ," Bess corrected her cousin. "And I am not. Would he make beautiful babies? Of course he would."

Nancy shot George a grateful look. Even if she hadn't intended it, George had managed to change the subject. And Nancy didn't want to start feeling anxious over nothing.

Her relationship with Ned right now was good, better than it had been in a long time, and she was happy. Regardless of anything else, she was happy. Now she just needed to find a job, and she could start figuring the rest of her life out: whether she wanted to go to Northwestern or start building her career, where she wanted to live.

No matter what, though, she wanted Ned to be a part of that life.

For their date on Sunday, they arranged to meet at Ned's apartment, and Nancy took her usual parking space. Ned was already pacing out front, waiting for her, and he looked so anxious that Nancy opened her car door and stepped out with a question already on her lips. "Is everything okay?"

"Sure," Ned said, smiling at her. "Everything's fine. You look gorgeous, sweetheart."

Nancy hooked her purse over her shoulder, glancing down at her dress. She wore a short black-and-cream lace A-line dress with a pair of classic pumps, and her long legs were shown to advantage. "Thanks. You look very handsome tonight."

Ned looked down at his white shirt and charcoal slacks with a little shrug, a small smile on his face. "Thanks, Nan. Sorry, I'm just a little anxious."

"Am I late?" Nancy glanced down at the watch on her slender wrist.

"No, no. It's not that. You're right on time."

His anxiety was making Nancy anxious, and she had to force herself to calm down as she took his arm and let him walk her to his car. "So we're not making dinner together?"

He shook his head. "I made some reservations for us, if that's all right?"

"Sounds perfect, Ned."

They talked about the party and what they had done with their friends the night before, and Nancy's eyes widened when Ned drove them to an upscale steakhouse with valet parking. For a second Nancy wished that she had worn a more formal dress, but when she walked in, she was relieved to see that most of the other guests were dressed similarly to the two of them. They were quickly seated at a small table with a nice view, and Nancy couldn't help smiling when the waiter carded Ned on his wine order. Being able to legally drink was still a novelty for Nancy, although Ned's alcohol consumption had significantly tapered off since he had started graduate school.

The waiter left to bring their wine and to give them time to select their entrees, and Nancy quickly decided to order one of the least expensive items on the menu. The steaks looked delicious, but the prices were significant. "The chicken sounds good," she commented, glancing over at Ned.

Ned glanced up, and she noticed that he was silently tapping his index and middle fingers on the table. "Mmm," he said noncommittally, then shook his head. "But I know how much you love lobster, and it's supposed to be very good here."

Nancy asked the waiter when he returned what he recommended, unconsciously tucking a strand of red-gold hair behind her ear and stroking her thumb along her earlobe, where a diamond stud earring Ned had given her rested. The waiter did suggest the steak and lobster tail, as well as the bone-in fillet mignon and the broiled grouper, so Nancy ordered the lobster tail with a petite fillet mignon. Ned, who could generally put away a steak as big as his plate when he was in the mood, ordered a modestly sized New York strip with Alaskan king crab.

Then they were alone again, and Nancy readjusted her napkin on her lap. "Ned, are you okay?" she asked quietly, her blue eyes troubled as she gazed at him.

Ned gave her a brief smile, but she could tell he was still ill at ease. "I'm okay," he said. "Just... a little distracted. How are you doing?"

She smiled. "I'm at a really beautiful restaurant, with my very handsome boyfriend. I think I could be doing much worse," she teased him lightly.

Ned swallowed and reached for her hand. "I just wanted to talk to you about something," he said, and if anything, he looked more solemn and nervous than he had before.

"Okay," Nancy said, trying to make her tone reassuring. At least he was holding her hand; she had a feeling that if he wanted to break up with her, he wouldn't be touching her.

Ned took a deep breath. "I guess you heard about Mike and Jan?"

At the mention of his best friend and Mike's new fiancée, Nancy's stomach flipped a little. "Yeah," she said with a soft laugh. "I think Bess saw the Facebook update two seconds after Jan posted that picture of her ring."

Ned smiled. "He mentioned he was thinking about it, and... well, I just resigned the lease on the apartment, but they're planning on getting married at the end of the summer, before Jan is back at school."

Nancy's eyes widened. "That quickly? Wow. That doesn't leave a lot of time to plan their wedding."

Ned shrugged. "I don't know. Is it really that complicated?"

Nancy let out a startled chuckle. "Uh, yeah. Most couples take a year to plan the wedding. It's a lot—the caterer, the venue, the reception..."

"You sound like you've planned a lot of weddings," Ned teased her.

Nancy shrugged. "I learned a lot when Helen asked me to be her maid of honor," she explained. "Everything that had to be coordinated on Helen's wedding day? It was _so much_."

"But the wedding was really nice," Ned commented. He had attended Helen Corning Archer's wedding as Nancy's date, although Nancy was pretty sure he had been happiest once the dancing had begun, and he and Nancy had been able to spend time on the dance floor in each other's arms.

Nancy tilted her head. "So Mike will be moving out," she said.

Ned nodded. "Mmm-hmm. Mike's already started looking at places. Which leaves me..." He swallowed again. "I'll need to find a new roommate."

Ned didn't glance back up at her, and Nancy just stayed silent, her fingers still wrapped around his. She was trying to keep her mind blank, trying to keep from becoming too anxious, but it was difficult.

Ned finally brought his head back up. "Nan, I'd... I'd love it, if that person was you."

Nancy felt herself blush a little. "Are you asking me to move in with you?"

Ned shook his head a little, squeezing her hand. "I... can I just be honest with you?"

"Please do," Nancy murmured.

"I'd love for you to move in with me, if that made sense for us," he said. "But I also respect you—and your father—too much to... to just move in together. Not unless we were—committed to each other."

Nancy waited until his eyes met hers again. "So what are you asking me, Ned?" she whispered.

"I'm—saying, that I love you, and I want to be with you. And if you want to be with me..."

Nancy was trying so, so hard not to read too much into what he was saying, or to guess what he might be thinking. But she hadn't seen him so ill at ease in a very long time. It was a far cry from his usual calm assurance, and it unsettled her.

But, she remembered, he had proposed to her four years earlier, and she had turned him down, telling him that she wasn't ready for that kind of relationship or commitment. They hadn't really talked about it since then, and even though Nancy had never really seen herself as the kind of woman who would live with a man outside wedlock, she also hadn't felt like she was an awful person for sleeping with Ned, either.

She couldn't imagine that her father would be happy were she to move in with Ned next week. It would be like acknowledging to him that they were in fact sleeping together, and he would _not_ approve. She was sure he wouldn't disown her, but he would register a strenuous objection to the situation.

Ned had glanced away again, and Nancy squeezed his hand a little, drawing his attention back to her. "I love you too," she told him, her voice low and calm. "And I want to be with you. I don't know what I want to do with the rest of my life, and I thought I would, by now; I don't think I want to be a lawyer, but I want to do investigation work. Maybe as a private detective, maybe as a detective with the police force. I don't know yet. I want you to be a part of my life, though.

"And you're right. I don't think my father would be happy if we were to—to just move in together. Not without an understanding."

Ned's dark eyes searched hers, and Nancy didn't realize how keyed up and tense she was until the waiter arrived with their appetizers and wine, and the mood between them was broken. They took the moment to regain their equilibrium, and Nancy unobtrusively wiped her damp palm on her napkin, unable to stop herself from wondering if he was going to ask her what she thought he might. She was impatient for the waiter to leave them alone again, and she dreaded it, dreaded how terrified and exhilarated she was at the thought of him taking a black velvet ring box out of his pocket. The restaurant was definitely nice enough for another proposal, but she remembered the first time he had proposed, how conscientious he had been, the red roses, the elaborate preparations. She wasn't sensing it now.

_Just calm down,_ she told herself sternly. _Just let him talk._

Even so, she drank half her first glass of wine before Ned cleared his throat. "I wouldn't want to upset your father, or you," Ned said.

Nancy nodded, her heart in her throat, and spoke before she meant to. "So... does that mean that moving in together... would just be a first step?"

Ned nodded, keeping his gaze locked to hers. "Yes."

Nancy took a deep, trembling breath. "Then what would the next step be?"

She could actually see the expression cross his face, once he decided that, damn the consequences, he was going to say it. "Planning our wedding, Nancy."

The first time Ned had proposed to her, she had been eighteen, recently graduated from high school, and Ned a student at Emerson College. They had been together for two years, and Nancy had loved him, but she had been floored by his proposal, and unable to even truly consider the thought of marriage. She hadn't been ready. Not at all. The strongest emotion she had felt that night, on the banks of the river outside Chez Louis, had been fear—fear that, when she turned down his proposal, he would be angry with her, he wouldn't want to be with her anymore.

Tonight, though, she had been his girlfriend for six years, she was twenty-two years old, and he was no longer just her boyfriend; he had been her lover for over a year.

And all she felt was joy, joy so strong it almost scared her, leaving her speechless.

Ned cleared his throat. "And I don't mean—I don't mean that we'd be planning something quick, like Jan and Mike. I don't even mean that we'd necessarily be talking about doing this a year from now. I just mean—the understanding, that if we did move in together, that... well, that we would have that commitment to each other. And we still have some time, before Mike would be moving out, and..."

Nancy put her hand on the table, and Ned reached out, taking it in his own again. "Ned... yes."

"Yes?"

She nodded. "Yes. I'd like that. I'd like to take that step with you."

Ned's face lit up with such a grin that Nancy immediately returned it, her sight shimmering faintly with tears. He rose from his chair and pulled her into his arms, holding her tight, and they ignored all the other patrons in the restaurant as she wrapped her arms around him in return, laughing quietly in delight.

"Oh, sweetheart... I..."

Nancy pulled back so she could look into his eyes, her palm against his cheek. "Me too," she said, with a quiet laugh. "I know."

"I just didn't want to—to rush things."

Nancy brushed the tip of her nose against his. "You dated me for five _years_ before we slept together," she whispered. "We've been in love for six. I really don't think we're rushing things."

"But you just graduated."

"And so did you," she pointed out, and he released her. They sat back down, but this time he pulled his chair closer to hers, and they joined hands again, their heads bent together. "Like you said, we're not talking about getting married next month, or moving in together next week. We're not rushing. We really aren't. I'll find a job in the city, and— what?"

Ned was smiling again, studying her eyes, and he looked so, so much more relaxed than he had when they had first seen each other, so much more relaxed than he had been through the majority of the night. He reached up and gently tucked a strand of red-gold hair behind her ear. "For the longest time I thought that you—you wouldn't be happy staying in one place. That you wouldn't be happy with one job. You'd just fly around solving mysteries and... and you'd outgrow me."

"Oh, Ned." She reached up and touched his cheek. "No. I'm not going to deny that I have always loved mysteries, that I always will—but I could never find a guy as sweet or as amazing, or as perfect for me, as you are. All this time we've been together has shown me that. You've always been there for me, even when things were tough, and... and I know, when you asked me four years ago—I wasn't ready then. But I told you... I didn't say no, not really. I said I couldn't, yet. Not until now. Not until it was right."

"And now, it's right."

She nodded firmly, twice. "It is. I... I may not know exactly what I want to do, but I do know that whatever it is I decide, I want to be with you."

"And you would be happy, here? Instead of someplace exotic? New York, or Washington?"

She brushed her thumb along his lower lip. "This place is my home," she said softly, her eyes shining. " _You_ are my home, Ned."

Neither of them had even touched their appetizers when their entrees arrived. Ned had totally regained his appetite by then, and so had Nancy; after the meal Ned even insisted that they split a generous slice of turtle pie.

They couldn't stop smiling when they slid into Ned's car and headed back to his place. "You do know that you were scaring the hell out of me, right?"

Ned chuckled. "Oh?"

"You were so nervous. I thought... I was afraid you wanted to have a 'talk' with me."

"Well, I did. In a way."

"But then _I_ started getting nervous, and..." Nancy shook her head. "So when did you say Mike was moving out?"

Ned laughed fully at that. "He hasn't said, yet. But I'll be sure to let him know that you'll be coming in to measure for drapes next week. Or whatever it is that girls do when they move in with guys."

"I think..." Nancy touched her chin. "They probably set up bathroom cleaning schedules and bleach everything."

"Sounds great."

Once they reached his place, Nancy grabbed the overnight bag she had brought with her and left in the backseat just in case, and Ned kissed her during the entire trip up to his floor in the elevator, as they stumbled together inside still in each other's arms. She pulled away from him long enough to change in the bathroom, taking off her makeup and brushing her teeth, and when she emerged she was wearing a black silk slip edged in cream-colored lace, her hair tumbling down her shoulders.

"You look thoughtful, Detective," Ned commented, as he finished setting his alarm and sat up straighter. He sat at the edge of his bed, wearing a pair of black boxer briefs, and he clicked on the bedside lamp as Nancy walked into his room, closing the door behind her, just in case Mike came home.

"Just imagining how amazing it will be to wake up in your arms every morning," Nancy murmured, smiling at him.

He returned her smile, watching as she approached him, and as she stepped between his open knees, he brought his hands up, his fingertips flirting with the lace edge of her slip. "Speaking of... you can't stay tonight, can you."

Nancy shook her head, frowning a little. She shared his disappointment. "But maybe it won't be too long until I can," she reassured them both, leaning down to kiss him.

Even though she needed to get back to her father's house before too long, she still couldn't bring herself to make Ned go faster or rush through this. They made out and she slipped her knees onto the bed, on either side of his hips, and he trailed his fingertips up and down her spine, his skin warm through the thin silk fabric of her gown. When he began to inch the gown up, she sighed against his kiss, breaking it just long enough to let him slip it off. Then he lavished his attention on her breasts, falling backward so she was caging him under her, and she moaned in pleasure as he suckled and fondled the sensitive tips of her nipples.

He moved to pull the covers down and they slipped underneath, pulling off their underwear as they went, and she was glad for the warmth of his comforter. The sheets and pillows smelled of him, of his shampoo and soap, and when they embraced each other she shivered a little at the feel of his bare skin against hers, warm and solid.

"Is this real?" she whispered. "Did we just—did we just really say that, eventually..."

"That we'll be getting married?" Ned leaned forward and kissed the corner of her mouth. "Mmm-hmm."

Nancy shivered again. "I can't believe it," she whispered, and grinned when he pulled back.

"Me either," he murmured, and kissed the other corner of her mouth. "You have made me so happy, Nan."

She ran her fingers through his hair as he began to trail soft kisses against her throat, her legs already open to him. "Mmm," she murmured, blushing a little. "I love you, Ned."

"I love you so much, baby." He kissed her breastbone. "I've been thinking about getting my family ring... would that be okay with you?" He brought his head up and looked her in the eye.

Nancy felt her eyes prick a little with tears again. Ned's family ring. She had only seen it in a photograph of Ned's great-grandmother, and she hadn't missed Edith's quick glance in her direction while she had been studying it. Ned's mother had always been such a vocal supporter of their relationship.

"That would be—so sweet, Ned."

"It's a little old fashioned, and Mom's always said I should have it re-set for you... so is it okay if I wait for it to be ready, before we do this for real?"

"For real?"

Ned moved up over her, kissing the tip of her nose. "Yeah. You know, reservations, roses, everything..."

Nancy chuckled. "Ned, I really don't need all that. The dinner we had tonight was so amazing—"

"But I want to do it." His dark eyes were warm and serious as they met hers. "This is the rest of our lives together, and I want to do it right."

"Then can we compromise?" she asked, running her fingers through his hair again. "You spent a lot of money tonight, and you just started at your job. So let's have dinner here, together, and we can cook together, and it will be really nice." She brushed her thumb against his lips. "Besides, I don't... I don't want a spectacle, Ned. I hate being the center of attention... well, unless it's your attention, that is."

Ned laughed quietly, kissing her thumb.

"So is that okay? I get that you want to make it official and do it right, and being able to do it here, in what will be our place—that would be so romantic."

Ned searched her eyes for a moment, then nodded. "If that's what you want, sweetheart," he said softly. "Then we'll do that."

"And, in return..." She pushed herself up a little to give him a soft kiss. "I'll just make sure that we can spend that night together. All of it."

He grinned at her. "I can't turn that down," he told her, and kissed her again, this time slipping his tongue past her lips.

She met and returned his kiss as they rolled together, and when she was on top of him, he had the freedom to let his hands roam all over her, which she loved. She straddled him, kissing him over and over as he buried his fingers in her hair, his other hand slipping down to the join of her thighs, to slowly caress her before he slipped his fingers between and fondled her clit. She flushed, moaning softly against his lips before she slipped her knees a little further apart, so she could grind against his erect cock.

They were good at foreplay, so good at foreplay. The physical aspect of their relationship had been limited to some light petting his first two years at Emerson, but they had slowly grown bolder with each other, fumbling in the dark, touching over their clothes and then underneath. Long before they had ever been naked together, Nancy had been introduced to how amazing it felt, to move with and against his touch, to let the sweet pressure of her arousal build inside her. The day he had finally brought her to trembling, sobbing orgasm, she had been overwhelmed at the sheer pleasure of finally experiencing her climax and release.

And he wanted this to be forever. He wanted them to be together forever.

She knew they were alone in the apartment, so she let herself be just a little louder than she normally was, moaning and whimpering, digging her nails into his back when he lightly sucked against her neck or cupped her hips. When he finally moved inside her, she gazed up at him, a small shiver passing over her belly as she imagined a night not unlike this one. The first time with his family's ring on her finger, the first time with a wedding band wrapped around her finger.

"I love you," she murmured as he bucked his hips against hers.

"Oh, sweetheart. I love you too, so much," he whispered, kissing her again before he began to move rhythmically inside her, in long, firm strokes, filling her so completely.

Hers. He would be hers, and she would no longer wonder what he was doing on the weekends she wasn't with him, wouldn't wonder if he would grow tired of _her_ , if he would decide that his high school sweetheart just wasn't adventurous enough in bed or beautiful enough for him. In a way he had always been _her_ Ned, but their relationship couldn't have stayed the same after her graduation, and she had known that. He would want to settle down. And she wanted to be a part of his life.

She wanted to be his.

Her lips parted as she arched, circling her hips, her legs wrapped around him. "Mmmm, that feels so good," she moaned, the springs creaking with his every thrust, and she trembled, tipping her head back as the tension of her orgasm coiled tighter in her, clenching her inner flesh weakly around him. Ned groaned against her temple and she moved in perfect rhythm with his thrusts, panting harshly, until she was crying out his name.

"Nancy," he groaned, as she twined herself around him, her body trembling with his every thrust. "Oh, Nan..."

He fumbled between them and when his thumb brushed her clit again she tipped her head all the way back, letting out a high desperate cry, clenching tight around him, and he collapsed to her as he came, his hips still grinding against hers.

It took a long, long moment for her to recover, both of them gasping for breath, and she felt so totally sated and relaxed. She closed her eyes and shivered at the feel of his lips against her skin, the little catch in his breath before he finally got himself back under control.

She couldn't leave just yet. She just couldn't.

Ned pulled back a little, his lips brushing her cheek. "Mmm."

"Mmm," she agreed, wincing when he gently slipped out of her. "That was so good, baby."

He smiled as he reached for a few tissues and cleaned them both up. "Yeah," he agreed, and when he relaxed to the bed again, wrapping his arms around her and holding her to him, she let out a happy sigh as she nestled against his shoulder.

"Nan, are you sure that's what you want?"

"A quiet dinner at home with the guy I love?" she asked, pushing herself up just a little so she could look into his eyes. "Not having to stifle myself if I start crying when I see the ring?"

He reached up and cupped her cheek, stroking it before he combed her hair back. "Do you really think you might?"

"I don't know," she said softly. "But I do know that it's going to be one of the best moments of my life, Ned."

He smiled. "But it hasn't happened yet," he pointed out. "Do you want to look at rings soon, maybe show me what you'd like?"

She hesitated for a second. "Sure," she said softly. "But it's what it represents that's more important to me."

"I understand." He brushed his thumb against her soft lips. "I just want to make sure it's as beautiful as the woman who will be wearing it. My future wife."

She ducked down and kissed him one last time, wishing she could spend the entire night in his arms. "I love you so much, Ned."

"I love you too."


	2. Chapter 2

Ned Nickerson wasn't one to go the theatrical route all that often. While he had been president of his fraternity, he had still been content to sit back and let the other guys make fools of themselves. When a situation called for a dramatic gesture, though, he was equal to that challenge.

Even so, he still needed to work on his poker face.

He went back to his parents' house in Mapleton for dinner that Monday night, and once they had all finished, and Ned's mother Edith was clearing the table, Ned rose to help her. They slotted plates into the dishwasher, sorting silverware, as Ned's father James wiped the table and went to the cupboard for the dessert plates. Even though they had all attended Hannah's graduation party at the Drews' home, Edith had still made a cake to celebrate her only child's accomplishment, and they had just enough left over for three generous servings.

Edith had just finished pouring the milk and sat down when Ned cleared his throat. His father, who loved cake just as much as his son did, was just slicing off a bite with his fork, but he looked up, his dark eyes meeting his son's. Nancy had teased Ned that there was no doubt as to his parentage; the resemblance between Ned and his father was striking.

"I'd like to ask a favor," Ned said, glancing between his parents. "I know we talked about this before, but... I'd like the ring."

Ned didn't even have to specify which ring before his mother was lifting her hand to cover her mouth, her blue eyes sparkling with tears. "Oh, Ned, really?"

Ned nodded. "Nancy and I will be looking at rings later this week, so I can have the stone reset into something she would like."

Edith's eyes widened. "Does that mean..."

James was already grinning when Ned nodded again. "She said she wanted to take that step with me," he said. "Now I just need to formally ask her."

"Oh, Ned! Oh, I'm so happy," Edith said, rising from her chair to wrap her son, who was a full head taller than she, in an exuberant hug. "And this is perfect! She's just out of school, like you, and you'll be able to plan the wedding..."

James stood and came over to clap his son on the back. "That's wonderful news. I'm glad you two will finally be settling down."

Ned was grinning, happy that his parents were so delighted, but at his father's words he swallowed. "I'm glad we will be, too," he said. "Which is why... it made sense, after Mike told me that he and Jan will be finding their own place to live—"

Edith nodded. "They'll need their own space, definitely."

Ned nodded, glancing at his mother. He expected her to put up the most strenuous objection to what he was about to say. "Nancy will be looking for a job in the city too, and since I'll need a roommate... after we're formally engaged..."

Edith raised her eyebrows, but didn't say anything. James, who was already sitting down again, swallowed a bite of cake and looked up at his son.

Ned swallowed again. "If it makes sense for us, I've asked if she might want to move in with me."

Edith sat down, her gaze still locked to her son's face. "How would Carson..."

Ned made a soft noise. "I haven't spoken to him yet," he admitted. "I've only asked Nancy, and she said she wants to do that, too."

Ned's parents glanced at each other. "I can't say it's... ideal. I know many young people your age are living together in—out of wedlock," Ned's mother corrected herself before finishing the sentence. "And you two are already spending a lot of time together..."

"And the apartment does have two bedrooms," James pointed out helpfully, looking up at Ned.

Both his parents had known that Ned was head over heels in love with Nancy from practically their first date, and Ned had a feeling that once the engagement ring was on Nancy's finger, his father would see that as such a victory that the wedding itself would be a formality. Early in their relationship, while Ned had desperately wanted a more serious commitment between them, he had wondered if they would ever reach this point, if she would ever accept him.

Now, now that she had agreed, and said that soon they could begin planning their life together, he felt like the major hurdle had been passed. As far as Ned was concerned, if she had no objections, he would marry her as soon as they could get a license. But their relationship had always moved at the speed that made her comfortable, and Ned was fine with that, especially now.

She was his. Everything else was a matter of fine detail.

Edith glanced at her husband, clearly unconvinced by his attempt to partially cover for Ned. "You didn't pressure her into it," Edith said, glancing up at her son.

"Oh, no, no. Not at all. I did tell her that I wouldn't feel comfortable, or respectful, living together unless we were engaged, though."

Edith seemed to relax slightly. "And... are you talking about this happening very soon after the engagement? It just seems like a lot in a short amount of time..."

Ned shook his head. "No. Mike and Jan are still looking for a place to live, and Nancy hasn't even found a job yet. Not to mention I haven't spoken to Nancy's father about... our plans."

James made a soft noise, his eyes dancing. "And I do not envy you that, son."

Ned chuckled at his father's sympathy. "Since I've been at UC, though, Nancy and I _have_ been able to spend a lot more time together, and we've grown very close," he told his mother. "I want to spend the rest of my life with her, and she with me. And if Mike hadn't told me he was going to move out, then I probably wouldn't have taken this step yet. But it seems to make sense."

Edith glanced down at her untouched slice of cake. "I suppose I can understand that," she said, a little reluctantly. "And I suppose this way you two can get to know each other better before you make this kind of commitment. But can I ask you to do something, Ned?"

Ned nodded.

"Please... treat her like you _are_ married," she said. "Consider it like practice. Don't just expect her to cook and clean and do everything for you. Show her the way you would behave as her husband. And, with any luck, that will make the first few months of your marriage a lot easier."

"No more wild parties and eating crackers in bed," James put in, and Edith cast a mock withering glance at him. The three of them chuckled.

"I will," he told them both. "And thank you. I realize this may not be exactly the way you wanted our relationship to go, but I've known for a long time that I want to spend the rest of my life with her. I'm just so glad that she feels the same way."

"Me too," Edith said with a smile, and James nodded in agreement. "Oh, I've always wanted to have a daughter."

"I know," Ned said, finally sliding his fork into the slice of cake in front of him. "Oh, I know you have. Just try not to overwhelm her with too much wedding talk _immediately_ , okay, Mom?"

Edith crossed her heart, but her eyes were dancing. "Mr. and Mrs. Ned Nickerson," she said with a little giggle, looking down at her cake.

James chuckled. "And now your mother will get to plan a wedding that _won't_ make her a nervous wreck."

"Oh, I'll still be nervous," Edith corrected him. "It just won't be on my own behalf. Do you think maybe we should arrange for her to be kidnapped _to_ the church on the wedding day...?"

\--

While Ned and Nancy had arranged to go look at rings on Friday afternoon, Ned resolved to go ahead and speak to her father before that happened. He wasn't looking forward to the talk, not at all, and getting it over with early would put his mind at ease—or have him fleeing to Canada, depending on her father's reaction. He also wanted to go ahead and get the awkward living situation announcement in the open. Best to go ahead and rip the band-aid fully off, at once.

Ned felt rather bemused by it. On the one hand, Nancy was twenty-two, clearly in her majority and able to make her own decisions, and her opinion was the one that mattered most to Ned. If she said she wished to marry him, even in contradiction to her father's wishes, then Ned would respect that. He just hoped that never happened.

Because Nancy valued her father's opinion greatly. He was her only living parent, and he had long been the major influence in her life. She wouldn't be living under his roof much longer—whether Nancy did move in with Ned or somehow decide that renting her own apartment made more sense, Ned didn't doubt that she would want to stretch her wings and leave her father's home soon—but Ned knew that Nancy would always love and respect her father and his wishes.

And Ned had meant it, when he had told Nancy that he wouldn't feel comfortable living together without the commitment of an engagement between them. Even so, he didn't expect Carson to be overjoyed at the prospect of losing his only daughter to her longtime boyfriend so soon.

Ned called Nancy's father and arranged for them to have dinner Thursday night after Ned was off work. Ned knew that Nancy was taking advantage of her aunt's visit to spend time with her, and she ended up calling him late Tuesday night.

"Hi, sweetheart."

"Hey. I know it's late," she began, her tone apologetic. "And you have to get to work in the morning..."

"It's okay," he reassured her. Mike made a face at him from the other end of the couch. This was one thing he thought he might miss, a little—the marathon video game sessions he and Mike had. Then again, they could always log on from their respective places and still play—

And then Ned imagined the look Nancy always had on her face when he talked about playing one of the games he and his friends loved, and shrugged. He would just save it for the nights she was working late, or out on cases—if he could actually concentrate knowing she was out somewhere and potentially in danger.

Ned put the controller down and went back to his room so he could have privacy for their conversation, noticing the overflowing hamper of dirty laundry and the unmade bed, for which he usually didn't spare a second glance. It wouldn't be so bad, to have an excuse to be more tidy. It had been easy to let housekeeping go while he and Mike were living together. Ned wasn't naturally a messy person, but his room definitely wasn't in the apple-pie order his mother had expected when he was living at home.

"What are you doing?"

"Not much. Getting ready for bed. How was your day?"

Nancy told Ned about going out with her aunt that afternoon, along with her best friends, shopping and talking about their plans for the summer, and he caught a slightly wistful tone in her voice. It was the kind of thing she would love to have done with her own mother, and while Nancy wasn't a "girly girl" by any stretch of the imagination, Ned knew how much Nancy missed her mother and having that kind of relationship. He had a feeling his mother would be happy to share some of those mysterious shopping sessions when they were planning the wedding.

"Bess teased me that now, since Mike would be moving out, I should just start moving stuff in at your place and see how you reacted," Nancy admitted.

Ned chuckled, and then his heart dropped when he imagined Carson finding out about their plans ahead of time—and walking into the restaurant to meet him Thursday night already in a towering rage. "So did you tell her?"

"I didn't. Thank God George changed the subject." Nancy sighed. "I... I kind of wanted to tell Aunt Eloise in person, about... it. But I can call her and give her the news once it's official."

"If that's what you want to do, sweetheart," Ned said, stretching out on his bed.

"We're still on for Friday, right?"

"Mmm-hmm. And... I'll be having dinner with your father Thursday night."

Nancy chuckled. "Is this the meeting when you tell him how many cows and goats it'll take for you to take me off his hands?"

"Yeah. We have a secret handshake and we each bring our own accountant. It gets really complicated." Nancy laughed again, but Ned continued. "I... wanted to go ahead and tell him about our plans."

"About _those_ plans?"

"Yeah. I just thought it might be better to get it all done at once, you know? My parents seemed to take it pretty well."

Nancy made a quiet noise. "I just hope the next time your mom sees me, she isn't privately calling me a slut..."

"Oh, Nan, you know she's not like that."

"I know." Nancy sighed. "I just don't want to disappoint her. She'll be my mother-in-law, after all."

Ned couldn't believe how happy he felt when he heard her say those words. "She's not disappointed in you. And she made me promise to treat our relationship just as seriously as I would if we already were married, if we were going to live together. So you have nothing to worry about."

"Well, Mr. Nickerson, if you're already going to treat me like your wife, I suppose there are a few things we should practice," she said quietly, a touch of humor in her voice.

"I am very, _very_ sure that that was nowhere near what she was talking about," Ned chuckled. "Plus, I think we're already getting good at that, but practice does make perfect."

"Very much so." Nancy paused. "Does this mean it will just be the two of you Thursday night?"

"Did you want to be there?" Ned asked. He would be grateful for her support, but he also wasn't sure how Carson would react to the news if both of them were there.

Nancy sighed. "I don't know. I guess not. It just seems very nineteen-fifties for you and Dad to talk about me like my opinion doesn't count."

"It won't be like that at all," Ned reassured her. "You know that I love you more than anything, and you're what's important to me. But I also don't want to irritate your father by acting like his opinion doesn't matter to me either. I'd like to stay on his good side." Ned shivered a little. "Mostly because I think he could easily have me 'taken care of' if I weren't."

"Oh, he's not like that. He loves you."

Ned made a soft, slightly skeptical noise. "Maybe he did, but I'm about to tell him that I'll be taking his little girl away. I can't even imagine how I'd feel in his place, in that situation."

"And it's not like you're taking me far," she pointed out helpfully.

"Yeah—which is worse. He'll be able to find me that much more easily."

Nancy chuckled. "You're worrying about nothing, Ned."

"Even though we both agreed he would lose it if we talked about moving in together _without_ being engaged?"

"Well..." Nancy sighed. "I don't know. He's pretty relaxed about a lot of things. I don't think many other fathers would have let their daughters investigate the kind of cases I did when I was a teenager."

"Mortal peril is one thing. Living in sin with your fiancé is another."

"Is that what your parents called it?"

"Practically," Ned admitted. "Mom changed it to 'out of wedlock' at the last second."

"Mmm. And you're _sure_ she's not going to call me a harlot the next time she sees me."

"I'm sure," Ned told her. "She wouldn't do that. She and Dad have known for a long time how insanely in love with you I am."

"Insanely, huh." Nancy chuckled.

"Insanely, passionately, head over heels, madly..."

"Mmm-hmm. Speaking of how much you love me, I was thinking that Friday, after we look at rings, we could... get reacquainted. Assuming your roommate isn't there."

"Get reacquainted? Or maybe we could start practicing?"

"Both," she said. "Because I'm sure measuring for drapes and all that kind of thing is very time-consuming, and I'll definitely need your help. Especially in the bedroom."

"And I've never been able to turn down a woman in need."

On Thursday, Ned was so anxious to make sure he made the right impression on Nancy's father that he took an entire back-up suit to work, just in case something happened to ruin the first one, along with a selection of ties. For the final half-hour of his workday, more than a few times he caught his attention wandering to dinner that night, and all the pitfalls. If he ordered a drink, that might look irresponsible; if he didn't, that might make him look immature. The slate-colored tie was too somber; the striped tie was too loud.

Fuck. He hadn't been this nervous over an outfit since the night he had been preparing for that one particular date at Chez Louis.

Even though Ned had been entirely prepared to do it right this time, to propose to her for real the way he had always wanted, he was a little relieved that they wouldn't be revisiting the same things he had done for that first proposal. He hated that he had been forced to propose to her before he had truly believed she was ready for that kind of commitment, and he couldn't deny that a small part of him had hoped, beyond all logic or reason, that she would say yes and agree to marry him when she was eighteen.

But he had been incredibly terrified during their meal at the steakhouse, when he had done everything _except_ say the words. Maybe that first proposal outside Chez Louis had been ill-timed and premature, but he had still given her exactly what he had always imagined the ideal proposal would be, and she had turned him down. The passage of four years between that night and their meal together earlier in the week hadn't served to dampen his disappointment.

It was foolish. The night it hadn't really mattered, when he had known what her answer would most likely be, asking her hadn't been very hard, because the stakes had been so much lower. Asking her to move in with him, asking if she would be willing to commit to him for the rest of their lives— _that_ had nearly paralyzed him.

But the hard part, Ned told himself, was over. Tonight he was just telling Carson about their plans.

When he walked into the restaurant, though, ten minutes early, his palms were already sweating, and he had no idea how he was going to choke down any food at all, much less say what he had come here to say.

Before Ned even had a moment alone at the table to compose himself, Carson arrived, greeting his daughter's boyfriend warmly. He was no fool, though, and Ned was pretty sure he wasn't imagining the slight sharpness in Nancy's father's eyes. He wasn't the most well-respected and sought-after criminal defense attorney in the state for nothing.

And, as Ned had always noticed happened when Carson was eating at a restaurant, the waiter arrived quickly, ensuring they were in need of absolutely nothing. When he asked if either of them cared for a drink, Carson ordered a whiskey on the rocks. Ned hesitated for a moment, debating, before following his lead and ordering a scotch and soda.

Once the waiter departed, Carson looked directly at Ned. "It's been a rather long day," he said. "And, from the look I've seen on Nancy's face since her dinner with you Sunday night, I have a feeling that you didn't want to meet tonight for a casual chat."

Ned cleared his throat. "I did have something on my mind, sir," he admitted.

Carson nodded slightly. "Let's order first," he suggested.

The wait was more than enough to make Ned feel incredibly nervous. In the interim Carson asked how Ned's work was going, and eventually Ned relaxed enough to sound almost natural. Inside, though, he just kept remembering what Nancy had told him. Her father _had_ been rather permissive, especially in regards to her career. He had allowed Ned to travel along with Bess and George, to accompany Nancy on her cases; he had allowed Nancy to travel and go on vacations and cases with Ned alone, unsupervised and unchaperoned. Granted, before Nancy's twenty-first birthday, Ned hadn't taken as much advantage of her during those trips as he could have, but a brief trip to Belize or Mount Rainier was very different from moving into the same apartment together.

Even if it was a two-bedroom apartment.

Once their drinks and appetizers arrived, they ordered their entrees and picked up their drinks. "To your good health," Carson said to Ned, raising his glass, a slight twinkle in his eye.

"And yours, sir," Ned added, raising his own.

Carson nodded, then took a long first sip. When he put his glass down, it was with an expectant air. "So, Ned, what did you ask me here to discuss?"

Ned swallowed hard. He really hadn't prepared anything for this; he had spent so much of the day worrying about the other details that the exact phrasing of his announcement hadn't seemed as important. "Mr. Drew—"

"Carson," Nancy's father interrupted, with a faint smile.

"Carson." Ned paused for a second. "I've been in love with Nancy for a long time, and her happiness has always been very important to me. I think she's amazing. She's unlike anyone I've ever met, and I completely adore her. Nothing would make me happier than a permanent place in her life. While we did have some rough patches early in our relationship, since Nancy began college—and in the past two years, since I began attending UC most especially—our commitment to each other has only grown stronger."

Ned glanced over at Nancy's father, just to see if the almost thoughtful expression there had changed. It hadn't. But Carson had one of the most well-developed poker faces Ned had ever seen.

"Now that I have my master's degree and I've been offered a full-time position, I feel that the time is right for us to take the next step in our relationship.

"I..." Ned wiped his sweating palm on the napkin spread over his thigh. "I would like to ask for her hand in marriage."

"Are you asking me?" Carson asked, a hint of humor in his voice.

Ned shook his head. "No, sir. Your daughter is fully capable of making her own decisions, and I respect and love that about her. But I'm also very sure that your opinion and your blessing mean a lot to her, just as they do to me. If she felt that you were opposed to the idea of our marrying, I think that would make her less... eager."

"You've put me in the unenviable position of potentially making my daughter _more_ eager to leave me," Carson pointed out, a small smile quirking one side of his mouth, before he took another sip of his whiskey. "But your point is well taken."

"Sir—Carson. I promise you, the same way I will promise her, that I will do everything in my power to provide for her, to ensure her safety and her happiness. Nothing is more important to me. She is a rare and precious woman, and the idea of a life without her in it... well, it is a life I can barely bring myself to contemplate. I have never felt for anyone, before her or since, the way I feel about her. Denying it seems as foolish as trying to reverse the tide. I feel whole when I'm with her. I feel... less, when we're apart."

Carson studied Ned's face, then glanced down at his drink. "I know that you don't understand this," Carson said, then gave a soft chuckle. "Not yet, anyway. You look at her and see a beautiful, sophisticated young woman. I look at her and see her as she has been in every moment of her life. I see the squirming infant my wife held in her arms; I see the little girl with the perpetually skinned knees and elbows who had to be called in to dinner four or five times every night because she was busy solving the secrets of the universe, and helping everyone she could find. I see the eighteen-year-old who was torn between a desire to go to Emerson, to be with her boyfriend but only for two years—and a desire to be here in the city, knowing that it could be the toughest trial her relationship with you could go through, but trusting that the two of you could make it through. I have known for a long time that she is special. And I think a part of me wished that she would always come home to me. The world... it can be a terrifying place. It can take so much.

"But it's what she wants. She _needs_ to have her freedom, and I have always let her. She's not like other women, and as much as I love that about her, I'm just as sure that it might make her a challenging companion."

Ned smiled slightly at that. "She is definitely unique," he agreed. "And I wouldn't have her any other way."

Carson inclined his head slightly. "I'll remember that you said that," he said. "When you originally proposed to her, a few years ago, despite the rather unorthodox circumstances, I was afraid that you wouldn't truly understand the kinds of demands and obligations Nancy feels and takes on. I know that was hard for you to deal with, sometimes."

"At first," Ned agreed. "It took a while for me to learn how to support her. And that drive she has, I found it exasperating at first... but that is who she is. I wouldn't want her to be anything less."

Carson nodded. "Well," he said softly. "I don't think any father ever really feels that any man is good enough for his daughter. I kept hoping that she would never slow down long enough for this to even become a question." He chuckled softly. "But, in the time you have been dating my daughter, you've demonstrated many times over how deeply you care for her, and you've been very responsible and respectful of her. I've never had cause to doubt the devotion you feel for her, either. If she agrees, then you two have my full blessing. And I would be pleased to have you as my son-in-law."

"M—Carson," Ned said. "You have no idea how—thank you so much. Thank you."

Carson smiled, then lifted his glass and downed the rest of his drink in one swift gulp. "I do have some idea," he told Ned. "After all, I had a very similar discussion with Catherine's father. And the blinding panic..." He shook his head. "Well, the time between the first drink and the first congratulatory slap on the back is, thankfully, a blur."

Ned took a sip of his drink. "If you don't mind my asking, sir," he said, then corrected himself. "Carson. Is Nancy very much like her mother?"

"Very much," Carson nodded, his voice quiet as he looked down at the half-melted ice in his glass. "Of course, physically, but she looks more and more like Catherine every day. Her persistence, her determination, the way she never backs down from a challenge? I would like to say that I had at least some hand in that, but her mother was very much that way. Fiercely intelligent, outspoken and headstrong to the point of recklessness, but at her heart—she was so incredibly protective of the people she loved. So much of what Nancy is, she owes to her mother."

"But," Ned said, quietly, and Carson glanced up at him, "she's very like you, too. Very careful and meticulous when she's solving a problem or a case, making sure she considers all the angles, that she doesn't leave any stone left unturned. She's practical and single-minded, and always ready to fight on behalf of those who can't."

Carson smiled. "She is those things, as well."

Ned was finally feeling almost calm enough to eat, so he sampled the shrimp cocktail and smiled when Carson did the same. "For a long time my parents have considered Nancy practically one of the family," he told Carson. "I know no one would ever be able to take—Catherine's place, and I don't think anyone would ever try. I just want you to know that, well, my mother—she's always wanted a daughter. They love her almost as much as I do."

"I'm glad to hear that."

For the rest of the meal, they talked about less serious topics, but the wedding kept coming up. Ned told his future father-in-law that he was willing to take Nancy's lead when it came to a timeline on the wedding, and if she decided that theirs would be a long engagement, he would do whatever made her feel comfortable. Carson grumbled a few times about spoiling his only child on her wedding day by giving her everything he wanted, but Ned could tell that Nancy's father wouldn't begrudge her a single thing she asked for.

Ned waited until after they had declined dessert to bring up the only other topic on his mind. "I did have one other thing I wanted to discuss with you," Ned said, and swallowed hard. "I'm sure you know that my friend Mike and I have been living in a two-bedroom apartment in the city while I've been in graduate school. Mike has recently proposed to his girlfriend, and will be moving out once he and Jan find a suitable place."

Ned had to pause for a moment before he could continue, aware that Carson's gaze was on him. "When Nancy and I discussed whether we were ready to take this step in our relationship, we also discussed... becoming roommates."

While the same polite smile stayed on Carson's face, Ned saw that same sharpness return to his eyes. "Let's not dissemble," Carson replied. "You've discussed moving in together."

"Yes," Ned said. "Only after she and I are formally engaged, which we aren't, yet, and only if she agrees, of course. If she's uncomfortable with that arrangement, I would never demand it. And it wouldn't be next week, or maybe even within this month; Mike hasn't even seriously started considering places, and I haven't asked Nancy to marry me yet. She and I will be going to a jewelry store tomorrow to look at settings, and after I have the stone from a family ring reset for her, then I will formally propose."

Carson let out a long, heavy sigh. "I suppose there's no way you would consider delaying," he said, looking up at Ned.

The second drink Ned had ordered with dinner had felt like it was helping him loosen up. That was, until Carson had cast that speculative gaze on him again. Ned felt suddenly very sober, and just as sure that he and Nancy should have kept their living situation from her father until after the wedding.

Although that would have been impossible. He would have figured it out, and Ned knew that. He was just trying to do the right thing, to avoid lying to her father about what they were doing. It would have been cowardly, would have shown that he was ashamed of what they were doing, and Ned wasn't.

Ned brushed his thumb along the pads of his fingers. "If I may be straightforward—I will need another roommate, whether Nancy decides to move in or not. The apartment _does_ have two bedrooms."

At that, Carson shook his head. "I'm sure it does," he murmured.

"And this way, she and I can become accustomed to each other. We can learn how to live together before the wedding. My mother's already made me promise that I'll do that, that I'll treat Nancy as I would after our wedding."

"Then why not marry first?" Carson asked. "If you have already agreed that you wish to marry, if you want to cohabitate—which, of course, after your wedding would not be objectionable whatsoever—then why not marry first?"

Ned paused. "If it were up to me," he admitted, "I would marry her next week. I've been devoted to her for a long time. But I feel that Nancy might be... more new to the prospect. And doing this would be a way to work out any problems that might be otherwise difficult. At least, I hope it would. I know Nancy has never been a wife before, and I've never been a husband before. I also have a feeling that our marriage will be rather unlike any of the others I've seen."

Carson's lips had to quirk up at that, into a slightly sardonic smile. "That is true."

"So I suppose my answer is that I would be fine with marrying her, as soon as legally possible. I just don't want to deprive her of the kind of ceremony she wants. That, and... I love her. We've had to spend so much time apart during our relationship, during my time at Emerson, that this just seemed like the perfect opportunity. I know the timing isn't ideal, and I fully understand your—your reluctance."

"But my opinion isn't really the one that matters here," Carson said, raising his eyebrow as he looked Ned fully in the eyes. "It's what my daughter wants, and whether she wants to live with you outside the bonds of marriage. And my reluctance is due to many things, maybe I'm a bit old-fashioned in this, but an engagement can be easily broken. I think it would hurt Nancy tremendously were that to happen, but nevertheless..."

"And, if we were to—somehow, and I sincerely wish and pray this doesn't happen—decide that we were incompatible and marriage didn't make sense, then wouldn't it be better for us to discover that _before_ the wedding?" Ned pointed out.

Carson shrugged a little. "You make a good point," he conceded. "But she's my little girl, and to have the two of you just acknowledging to the world at large that you're... sleeping together..." He shook his head.

Ned's stomach clenched, but he pressed on. "Is it better to lie about it?"

Carson's lips tightened. "In this case..."

The waiter arrived with the check, which Carson took, waving off Ned's protests as he reached for his wallet. "Intellectually I'm aware that you two are adults, and able to make your own decisions, and I am glad that your interest in Nancy wasn't limited to a—physical relationship. I've always been sure that you genuinely cared for her."

"So when you gave her permission to travel alone with me..."

Carson shrugged a little, slotting his gold card into the leather case for the waiter to take. "I trusted that both of you had good heads on your shoulders, and that you weren't just hormonal teenagers. I made my opinion on this kind of behavior clear to her, but I've also told Nancy that I trust her and I believe she has the maturity to make her own decisions. If this is what she wants, I cannot say that I will be overjoyed, but I will hope that what you've said is true. That you _will_ treat her with the same respect and care that you would as her husband.

"But I will emphasize, here—that the _only_ way I will feel anywhere near comfortable with this arrangement, is if you two are not only engaged, but actively planning your wedding. This will be _temporary_. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir."

"I will tell her the same thing, and I know I probably sound very old-fashioned and prudish, but I don't want this to become—just the status quo. If you wish to commit to her for the rest of your lives, and she to you, then I would almost be happier holding a small private ceremony now, and a large celebration later—save that it seems very fast." Carson shook his head. "But I suppose, for people your age, it just seems reasonable to live together, to try it out first."

Ned was surprised he had managed not to just sink through the floor during their entire conversation. "She is not just another girl to me," Ned told Carson. "She never has been. And I understand. I won't take this step with her without the understanding that it is just the first, that by making this commitment to each other, we have decided to marry. And... I know that she's your little girl. I love her so much, and I swear to you that I'll do everything I can to show her that."

Carson propped his chin on his hand as they waited for the waiter to return with his card. "Please," Carson said quietly. "Please... be patient with her, treasure her. And understand that if you hurt her, in any way, _especially_ given this major allowance I'm giving the both of you, that I will be _highly_ upset."

Ned swallowed hard. "I understand. And I wouldn't expect anything less. I feel the same way about her."

\--

Ned knew that Nancy would be in the city on Friday, making connections, distributing resumes and following up on leads for jobs. She arranged to meet him at his place after work, and Ned was happy to have the opportunity to change out of his work clothes. When Nancy walked in at five-twenty, she wore a navy pencil skirt, white shirt with a bow knotted at the throat, and navy pumps. Her red-gold hair was half-pulled back from her face, and she wore the heart locket Ned had given her when she had been starting at UIC, and matching small gold hoops in her ears.

She came out of the small bathroom a few minutes later wearing a deep-blue halter gown trimmed in crisp white, the skirt still rustling faintly at her knees, and she had let her hair down. To Ned, she looked beautiful, her skin a few shades more golden from the early summer sun.

"Ready?"

"You bet I am," Ned told her with a kiss, reaching for her arm to slip it through his before they left.

Ned had brought the ring with him, tucked safely into an inner pocket, so they could show it to the jeweler and have a better idea of what settings would work for the stone. He patted it as he put the car in gear, smiling to himself, but when they had gone two blocks and Nancy hadn't said anything, Ned turned to her.

"So how did it go today?"

"It went well, I think," Nancy said, then looked down at her fingers. Her slender wrist was circled by a beautiful gold bracelet he had given her a few years earlier. "Dad asked me to have lunch with him today."

"Oh?"

Nancy nodded. "He made it very clear that... well, he..."

"When we spoke last night, he said that if we moved in together, we had to be planning our wedding, and our living together couldn't be a permanent arrangement. Just temporary."

"Yeah." Nancy swept her hair out of her face, over to fall over one shoulder, and he could see the faint blush in her cheeks.

Ned glanced over at her again. "Nancy... if you're uncomfortable with the idea, it's okay. I'll find another roommate. I don't want to pressure you into anything."

"You aren't," she assured him. "I don't want to live with you if I don't have a job; I don't want to be a deadbeat roommate. And I will expect to pay half the rent and the utilities and everything."

"Until we're married, anyway," he said, a slight teasing note in his voice.

"Even after that," she told him. "We'll pay our bills together. And budget money for what we want. And we'll be partners." She nodded, as though to herself.

Ned chuckled a little. "You sound... you sound like you've been thinking about this."

Nancy bit her lip. "Can I be honest with you?"

"Always."

"I... I don't know what to do," she admitted. "I don't... I've never seen how a marriage is supposed to be. You had your parents and... and they showed you, and I'm sure they were a very good example, but... all I've ever had to show me what this was supposed to be like... that's only you. You and what I've seen on movies and television shows, Bess and George's parents. And all I know is how I feel about you, and..."

"And so it's like a problem, for you," he murmured.

She nodded. "I'm better with things that I can... that I can break down that way," she said. "A mystery, a case, has one solution. One thing that I'll find that is true. But when it comes to you, to _this_... I don't know what to do."

"Well, sweetheart, while I _did_ have my parents to show me... I'll be figuring it out too. And what works for us may be different from what works for anyone else."

She gently turned the bracelet on her wrist. "Well, I do know that I want us to be... equals. I want us to make choices and decisions together. I don't want to be one of those women who just sits back and waits for you to make the money, and rots away at home..."

"I wouldn't want you to do that either," he told her.

They pulled up at the jewelry store, and Ned reached for her hand as soon as he helped her out of the car. She smiled at him as she took his hand in hers, and they walked in together.

The jeweler was a small bespectacled man with a fastidious mustache, and he studied the ring Ned handed him for a long moment, pulling out his loupe. "It's a very fine stone," he murmured. "And we can use these smaller ones as well, if you wish."

He made a circuit of the display cases, returning with a number of settings, and showed both of them how the ring would look afterward. Nancy studied them all for a few minutes, and when the jeweler and saleswoman encouraged her to try some of them on, to get a feel for how they might look on her finger, Nancy glanced over at Ned, hesitating before she settled on one. When she gently slipped it on, she gave him a quick glance again.

"Ned, what do you think?"

"I think that whichever one you want will be beautiful," he told her.

She glanced down, then tried on three more. When they saw the next one on her finger, though, the jeweler made a soft noise of something like approval, and Nancy looked over at Ned, her eyes gleaming faintly.

"Is this the one, sweetheart?"

She looked back down at it, her fingers splayed, and nodded twice. "Yes," she whispered. "Yes, I think so. Do you like it?"

"It's beautiful, Nan. Just like you."

She grinned at him. "This one," she told the jeweler. "This one would work?"

He nodded. "And we can engrave the band, if you wish," he told them. "Do you?"

Nancy glanced up at Ned and gave him a small nod, her eyebrow up. "Surprise me," she told him with a smile.

After they settled the arrangements with the jeweler, Nancy was still grinning as they left the store, their hands joined. "Ned," she murmured.

"Mmm?" he asked, turning to her.

She stood up on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. "Thank you," she said. "I'm so excited!" She giggled a little, shivering with joy.

Ned returned her grin. "Me too," he admitted. "I can't wait until it's ready. But, in the meantime, since Mike will be over at Jan's tonight... want to pick up something for dinner and head back to the apartment?"

They decided on Thai from one of their favorite places, and when they came back to the apartment, Ned turned on the television and they kicked their shoes off, spreading out the takeout containers in front of them on the coffee table.

"So what's being married like?" Nancy asked, after scooping up the last bite of her rice and chicken dish.

Since they were staying in, Ned had decided on a beer with dinner, and he had just finished the last sip. "Hmm. Compromising, and making decisions together. And figuring out what works for each of us. Kind of like how Dad's hopeless with anything except a grill, but he doesn't mind cleaning up after dinner, and Mom doesn't like mowing the grass but she does like keeping the garden in order."

Nancy picked up a napkin and wiped her mouth, then her fingers. "And making breakfast together?"

"If that's something you want to do," Ned told her with a smile.

"And when we disagree?" She brought her blue eyes to his face.

"Then we come to some agreement. Is there something you were worried about?"

Nancy wiped her fingers again, idly, then tossed her napkin onto the table. "Mmm. I suppose I'm just hoping that you won't be upset by the career I choose."

"But it's your career, and I already know what you love. Solving mysteries. Not shark tagging or stunt driving."

She chuckled. "Unless those things are called for," she teased him.

Ned reached for her, pulling her onto his lap, and she looped her arms around his neck, her blue eyes gazing directly into his in the low light. "Well, I'm sure my parents, and your father, will have plenty of advice for us," Ned told her, reaching up to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear. "But I can't wait, Nan. I have wanted this for so, so long..."

"Which part?" she asked him with a small smile.

"All of it," he replied, and stroked his fingertip down the outer edge of her ear. "All of you. A life with you. To have you all to myself, my beautiful detective, to wake up beside you every morning, to come home to you at night."

Her smile slowly became a wide grin. "I want that, too."

"And I know your father's a little worried that we're taking things too fast, and, sweetheart, if you—"

She brushed her thumb over his lips. "If I'm ever nervous or worried, I'll talk to you," she promised, her gaze falling from his eyes to his mouth. "And you'll do the same thing, won't you? Just... talk to me, if you're not comfortable?"

He nodded. "Yes."

"Because I know, sometimes, I've... I wasn't as..." She stopped and ran her fingers through her hair, combing it away from her face. "I know sometimes I've hurt you, and I hate that."

He stroked his fingertips down the line of her jaw, trying to tell himself all the reasons he shouldn't unfasten the halter tie at the nape of her neck and do his best to get her out of her dress. "And I hate that too," he murmured. "I hate the times we've fought and you've been upset. But it's been a long time since you've..."

"Flirted with anyone else," she completed quietly. "Or have even wanted to."

He gave her a small smile. "You are the only woman I want," he murmured. "For the rest of our lives. I have loved you for so long."

"And you are the only man I have ever loved," she told him, cupping his face in her palms. "I mean that, with all my heart. My heart has only ever belonged to you. Maybe sometimes I've been—distracted," and he smiled, without humor, at the euphemism, "but you have always been there for me, supporting me, and you are the sweetest, most amazing man I've ever known. The thought of being with you..." She brushed the tip of her nose against his. "I'm ready for that. I'm ready to build a life with you."

Ned finally gave in to the temptation, and when she brushed her lips against his, he touched the tie at the back of her neck. She didn't make any sound of objection, and as he untied it, she reached behind her, unzipping her dress.

He picked her up and carried her to his bedroom, to what would soon be their bedroom, her legs wrapped around his waist, her arms around his shoulders. Quickly she slipped out of her dress once the door was closed behind them, and when they came to his bed, she laughed as they wrapped themselves around each other, the sheets cool against their flushed skin.

Oh, he remembered doubting that they would ever have this kind of relationship, that she would never trust or love him enough to make this kind of commitment. The nights they had tumbled together into his bed, stroking and caressing and kissing each other, approaching but never crossing the line, he had still been so impatient to have her, and desperate at the thought that she might never be his. She was the only woman he wanted, the only one he had ever loved this way.

And then, when he had slowly slipped her clothes off, when he had come to her naked and they had gradually, slowly, begun to cross that line, he had known. His heart, his life, all of him felt tied to her, belonged to her, and he never, never wanted to let her go.

Several times after they had made love for the first time, he had wanted to talk about their future, about a more permanent arrangement, but the timing had never felt right. She was still finishing school, and so was he; he'd had nothing to offer her, no way to support her, not yet.

But now he did, and being with her, knowing that what was between them, what had always been between them, was forever... more than anything else, more than any gift or diploma could offer him, that assurance gave him more peace, more hope than he had felt in a long time.

She would be his. The love of his life, the only woman who could ever be right for him, finally, after so many years, would be his.

They still had time, so Ned took his time with it while they made love, teasing and nipping and kissing his way down her body, nuzzling against her inner thighs, then parting her wide. When he dipped his fingers between her legs he found her already incredibly slick for him, and the first stroke of his tongue against her clit made her moan in pleasure.

He decided to finish her that way, because he loved the way she writhed and moaned his name when he was going down on her, the way her fingers pressed against his scalp to keep him against her. He kept suckling and stroking until her hips were bucking, her cries of pleasure muffled by the pillow she had buried her face against.

She came and Ned gently let her down, slowing his caresses until she relaxed against the mattress, moaning, sprawled wide and trembling with her aftershocks. "Ned," she moaned, her eyes gleaming as he rose over her. "Oh, baby, you are so good, that felt so incredible..."

He smiled as she rolled onto her side, her hand finding and stroking his cock. "Mmmm," he moaned. "Mmmm, yeah, that feels so good, Nan."

She smiled at him. "So once we're married, you promise to wake me up like that every now and then?"

"Do you?" he returned, running his fingers through her hair.

"This must be what you meant by 'compromise,'" she said, a teasing gleam in her eye. "Sounds fair."

She stroked him, and feeling her come under his fingers and tongue, listening to her pleasure and knowing how wet she was, had already made him more than ready for her. He moved with her touch, panting as she drove his arousal even higher, until he reached down, and it took every ounce of his strength to arrest her hand. "Can we..."

She looked up into his eyes, then nodded, moving over him, straddling his waist. Together they guided him to her, and when she sank down, his cock parting the slick press of her sex, they both groaned. "Ned," she whispered. "Oh yes, that feels so good..."

He glanced his thumbs against her nipples as she sank down onto him, taking his full length, her brow creasing. He made a soft noise and she opened her eyes, gazing down into his face, and he kept one hand teasing her breast as he guided the other down to her hip, rising and falling as she rocked against him.

"So beautiful," he whispered. "And God, you feel so good, baby."

"Mmmm," she moaned. "I love you, I love you so much..."

"I love you too," Ned murmured, his thumb finding the sensitive nub of flesh between her legs, and she gasped, bucking against him. "I always have, and I always will."

He was already close, after feeling her hand on him, but he held out as long as he could, digging his thumb rapidly against her clit when he felt his control start to slip. "So good, you feel so good," he groaned, as she sobbed in pleasure. "Please, baby, come..."

Nancy tipped back, supporting her weight behind her as she rode him more rapidly, her slick inner flesh clenching him tight inside her. "Oh yes, _yes_ ," she cried out, letting her head fall back. " _Mmmmm_ , oh my _God!_ "

Finally she let out a high desperate cry and Ned bucked up under her, plunging his full length into her one last time before he let himself come with her. She collapsed to the bed and Ned groaned, utterly spent. When she crept up over him, he pulled her to him, and they held each other.

"Mmmm. I love you, baby."

She let out a happy sigh. "I love you too," she whispered. Then she pulled back, looking down into his face. Her eyes were glowing. "I can't wait until we can be like this all the time."

"Just having had sex?"

She swiped lightly at his shoulder, shaking her head. "Together."

"Me either, baby," he murmured, reaching up to gently comb his fingers through her hair, his gaze locked to her face. "Feels like I've waited my entire life to be with you, and I'm so happy you said yes."

She kissed him lightly. "It's finally right, Ned," she whispered against his mouth. "I love you so much."

She hadn't said yes, not yet—but she had.

Even so, he couldn't wait until it was official, until she wore his ring on her finger.

\--

Once Mike and Jan found a place, they were able to sign the lease within the week, and Ned helped Mike move his belongings over. Their first apartment was only a little bit larger than the one Mike and Ned had shared, and it had a better view.

Jan was hurrying around, directing Mike and Ned as they lugged boxes and furniture inside. As soon as they had the couch exactly where Jan wanted it, she nodded with a tired smile. "Perfect."

"Man, I think we _definitely_ deserve a beer," Mike said, glancing between Jan and Ned. "Want one?"

"Go ahead," Jan said with a wave. "You guys have worked hard."

As Mike went to the refrigerator, Ned sat down heavily on the couch, dusting his palms on his thighs. Jan sat down in the armchair at the other side, then leaned down, tugging the rag rug an inch toward her. The diamond solitaire sparkled on her left ring finger.

"So Nancy told me," Ned said, "it would be tough to plan a wedding so quick, but you two seem to be doing a pretty good job."

Jan smiled. "It would be hard, if I hadn't already been kind of planning for it," she told him. "Besides, it's going to be small, and casual. I've never really wanted a big wedding, and I'd much rather use the money we would be spending on a nice honeymoon, a good down-payment on a house..."

Ned nodded. "I can understand that."

"So does this mean you're thinking about...?" Jan raised her eyebrows, smiling.

Mike had just walked in with two beers, and his own eyebrows were up. Jan shrugged, waving it off when he offered one to her, and Mike handed it to Ned. "You thinking about popping the question, man?"

Ned looked between his best friend and his best friend's fiancée with a quiet chuckle. "Well. Thinking about it."

Jan's smile widened into a grin. "Oh, that's great news. I had a feeling..."

Mike looked over at his fiancée. "You did?"

"It's just that... Nancy's been very interested in all the wedding plans," Jan admitted, looking down. "I hope she's not upset that I said anything, and I thought at first that she was just curious..."

"Oh." Ned looked down at the bottle before taking his first sip. "I... well, she's picked out the ring, and the jeweler said it will be ready soon. And then..."

Mike clapped Ned on the back. "No wonder you were so interested when I told you about my plans with Jan."

Jan glanced between the two guys. "So, Ned, _you're_ incredibly romantic. How are you planning on doing it?"

"Hey, what are you trying to say?" Mike protested with a chuckle. "That your favorite guy in the world _isn't_ romantic?"

"You _are_ ," Jan said, with a small, teasing smile. "Under the right circumstances."

Ned chuckled at the both of them. "Well, I _wanted_ to—go the whole nine yards. Flowers, a really nice restaurant, romantic music, champagne and candles... and I'll probably still do some of that. But when I took Nan out to... to ask if she wanted to move in with me..."

Ned explained the circumstances, and Jan hung on his every word, her eyes glowing, occasionally interjecting a comment about how sweet or romantic it sounded. Mike listened, but he didn't seem nearly as enrapt as his fiancée. Between the two of them, Mike had always been bored by the romantic, sappy stuff—unless Jan was involved.

"Well, if she told you that's what she wants," Jan said with a sigh once Ned had told her the whole story. "Some girls say that kind of thing but they mean the opposite—but Nancy doesn't seem to be like that."

"I hope so," Ned said. "But I want to make it special anyway, even if it's just the two of us."

"And then you'll be moving in together..." Jan grinned. "Oh, I'm so happy for you two!"

"So I'm depending on you two to show me the ropes of this whole wedding business," Ned told them.

"Well, I'd be more than happy to help. And Mike can show you how much fun it is to nod and agree to with whatever the bride-to-be is saying."

Right on cue, Mike nodded. "Exactly, sweetheart."

Ned was serving as Mike's best man, and Nancy was one of Jan's two bridesmaids, and as Ned figured out how he wanted to propose to his girlfriend, he was able to witness firsthand the events they would go through after. Jan's local friends threw showers to which Nancy was invited, and while Jan was occupied with those and other wedding preparations, Mike and Ned hung out. Jan's parents lived in a small town about two hours outside Chicago, halfway to Emerson, and the ceremony was planned to be held there. Since most of their friends were in and around Chicago, though, they had planned to hold the wedding at Jan's parents' church, then come to Chicago and hold the reception—which was just going to be a large party with their friends and family.

"Is it starting to feel real yet?" Ned asked as Mike sat beside him on the couch at their old place, tapping the button that would tell his avatar to reload.

Mike shrugged. "Yeah," he said. "I just feel like not that much will change, you know? We're living together, and when we get back from the honeymoon we'll still be living together."

"And how is that?"

"Living with Jan?" Ned nodded. "Mmm. It's nice, but it's weird, too. Like I had no _clue_ how long it actually takes her to get ready in the morning. And she's _insane_ about phone messages."

"How does her dad like it, that she's living with you?" Off Mike's look, Ned chuckled. "I'm just... well, Nancy's dad made it really clear that he wasn't overjoyed at the prospect."

"Oh, Don—Jan's dad—he wasn't either. I think if it wasn't just going to be a couple of months, he would have been really upset."

"Hmm."

Mike glanced over at him. "Hey, I'm gonna go check out a band on Saturday night, with Jan. Remember how Brent and Ro had that thing going while we were at Emerson? They're at the Red Dog playing a show, and we were thinking that if they're good, we'll see if they'd mind playing the reception. We could make it a double date, let them gab about the wedding while we grab a beer."

"Mmm. Can't do Saturday."

"Oh come on, like you have better plans... oh. You about to pull the trigger, Nickerson?"

"I think so."

Mike paused the game and reached over to clap Ned on the back. "Good luck, man. She's a great girl."

Ned smiled. "Glad I have your vote of approval. Because you know you'll be getting best man duty for me, too."

"I guess I deserve it," Mike groaned good-naturedly. "Speaking of, best man—how are the bachelor party plans coming?"

"Well, from 'none' to 'Jan will have us all murdered when she finds out'..."

"Oh, I like that scale, man. I _like_ it." Mike grinned. "I know we won't go _too_ crazy..."

"I really don't want to get murdered when I come home to Nan, that's for sure."

"But it'll be nice to have one last blow-out before we have to settle in and be responsible."

"Hey, for as long as Howie and Michael can make it? We'll be lucky if we don't end up stealing a cop car or some shit."

Mike laughed. "Hey, at least my best man has an amazing defense attorney as a future father-in-law."

_Future father-in-law._

When Ned had invited Nancy to his place to eat dinner with him that Saturday night, she told him that her father was out of town, so she didn't even need to make any excuses about where she would be. He didn't have to say what his plans were; when she asked if they would be staying in all night, he said they would, and she had told him that she would plan accordingly.

Ned cleaned the apartment thoroughly, made his bed with clean sheets, and called his mother four times while he was getting their dinner ready. He had wanted to make Nancy something she would like, something that would impress her, but despite their French cooking class, his cooking skills hadn't really gotten all that much better. He was good at steaks, though, so he had bought those along with the ingredients and equipment to make scalloped potatoes and steamed green beans—his mother had _definitely_ reacted negatively when he had mentioned picking up a can of green beans instead. Nancy had volunteered to provide the dessert.

Nancy arrived five minutes before their agreed-upon time, wearing a short deep-pink cocktail dress with a notched bodice, a cake carrier in her hands and a small duffel bag slung over one arm. "Hi baby," she greeted him with a grin as he opened the door for her. "I hope you're in the mood for fudge marble cake?"

"Sounds perfect, sweetheart. Come on in."

She placed the carrier on the counter, her duffel and purse near the couch, and Ned glanced over at her. He had covered the small table with a cream-colored tablecloth and even set out the place settings, with candlesticks and a small vase holding three red roses. He hastily wiped his hands, then went over to the television set to turn the channel to something more suitable than ESPN. One of the music stations indicated it played romantic jazz, so he turned to that, and she wore a small smile when he looked back at her.

"This okay?"

"Sure," she said, gazing up into his face.

"Nan, you look so incredibly beautiful. You know we're not going out, right?" he told her with a wink.

"I know," she told him, her smile widening into a grin as she fingered the heart locket he had given her, which was hanging around her neck. He came over and wrapped his arms around her, hugging her and lifting her up off the floor, and she giggled in delight. "But you look very handsome tonight, too, and I just wanted to look nice for you, Ned."

"And you do. I love you." He kissed the tip of her nose. "Now sit down and I'll finish dinner..."

She shook her head, toeing out of her heels after he released her. "I can help," she protested.

"Nan..."

"Partners, remember?" she told him, raising her eyebrows.

Ned sighed, then gave her a smile. "Well, we _will_ get done faster," he admitted.

She put on an apron and took over finishing up the scalloped potatoes while Ned handled the green beans and steaks, and once the potatoes were in the oven, Ned insisted that she sit down on the couch. She sat down at the table instead, talking to him while he finished their dinner, and while he had felt nervous all day, just talking to her helped distract him and calm him down.

"So your first week went well?"

"I... I really like it," she told him. "Well, so far, anyway. I talked to some of the other operatives and apparently the first six months or so, I'll be doing a lot of legwork. Hanging out around the office, and staying out of trouble. I don't know how I'll handle it." When he turned to glance at her, her eyes were sparkling.

"Oh, you're teasing me," he accused her, smiling. "I know it'll be hard, but at least I'll be able to sleep a bit easier."

She wrinkled her nose at him, but she was still smiling. "I'm just excited," she told him. "You know how worried I was..."

Ned nodded. "That going on to law school wouldn't be the right choice for you."

"And I know if I change my mind I can always go back, but... but I love that I'll be paid for doing what I love."

"Well, no matter what, you were going to be doing it anyway."

She nodded, and when the timer went off for the potatoes, he gestured for her to stay seated while he pulled them out of the oven.

"Ned, seriously, this looks fantastic."

Ned grinned as he sat down at the table. He had served both their steaks, and placed the dishes of potatoes and green beans on the table with them. While he had a bottle of red wine waiting for them, for the actual proposal, he wanted to be sober and fully himself for all of it.

Their dinner was better than Ned had thought it could be. The steaks had come out perfectly seasoned, the green beans vibrant and tender, the potatoes rich and buttery. The rolls were prepackaged yeast rolls, and his mother had told him to top them with melted butter and rosemary and a sprinkling of sea salt, and Nancy loved them.

After the meal, Ned and Nancy went over to the couch, and she sat down, gazing up at him. Her blue eyes were gleaming faintly, and he could see her pulse beating in her throat. "So, Ned," she said quietly.

She knew what he was about to ask, and he already knew what her answer would be. Even so, Ned felt his anxiety rise again. At least they didn't have an audience; at least it was just the two of them.

Ned took a deep breath and sat down, then reached for her hands. "Nancy," he said, gazing into her eyes. "I love you. I love you so, so very much. You are beautiful, and incredible, and the most amazing woman I've ever met. I can't imagine my life without you, and you will make me the happiest man in the world if you would... if you would be my wife."

He released her hand so he could reach into his pocket. When he had picked up the ring and checked it, he had been happy. It looked just like the one she had selected in the store, but this one was _theirs_.

He handed it to her, and Nancy looked down at it, gasping quietly. She blinked and a tear slipped down her cheek. "Oh, Ned," she whispered, gazing at the ring. "Oh, it's perfect..."

"Here," he told her, turning on the lamp beside her so she could see the inscription.

_mon cœur est a vous_

"My heart is yours," she translated it aloud, and when she looked up at him again, another tear slipped down her cheek. "Oh... Ned, I love it so much. It's so beautiful. My heart is yours, too. I love you _so much_."

"Can I..."

He took the ring and she gave him her hand, using her right to wipe her eyes. "Yes," she said. "Yes, Ned, I will marry you. I would love to be your wife."

He slipped the ring onto her finger, smiling as he did, and when it was seated firmly she splayed her fingers and looked down at it, watching it sparkle in the light. She laughed in delight, and they glanced at each other, moving into each other's arms immediately.

"Oh, sweetheart... I love you so much."

Nancy gasped in a quiet breath. "I love you too," she whispered, her voice shaking a little. "Oh, I thought... I thought I wouldn't cry..."

He kissed her temple. "As long as they're tears of joy," he said softly, moving so he could look into her shining eyes.

"Oh, yes, they are. They are. I'm so happy, Ned. You—you are so incredibly sweet and handsome and amazing, and I love you _so much_."

He brushed his lips against hers, and immediately she kissed him back, her lips parting to his. He kissed her sweetly, his fingertips brushing against the nape of her neck, and she held him, her body warm against his.

"Would you like some wine?" he asked, when they parted.

"Mmm." She nodded, wiping her eyes again and giving him a smile. "Yes. Let me go... clean myself up."

When they rose, he looped his arm around her waist and kissed her again, soft and lingering, and she cupped his cheek. "I love you," she breathed, her blue eyes so bright, her lashes dark with the trace of her tears. "I love you so much."

He kissed her again, gently. "I can't believe it," he whispered, gazing at her, and she smiled at him. "Nan..."

She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him again, and he finally released her so she could go to the bathroom and freshen up, taking her duffel with her as she did. He poured them both glasses of wine, washing his hands, and gave his bedroom one last check before he went back to the living room.

Nancy came in a moment later, her face scrubbed clean and free of makeup, wearing a short black satin robe belted about her slender waist. She glanced down at her new engagement ring again, and so did he, smiling as she splayed her fingers. "It's beautiful," she told him again.

"Almost as beautiful as the woman wearing it."

She gave him a shy smile, then sat down, picking up her wineglass. "To the most amazing man," she murmured, lifting her glass.

"To the most beautiful, amazing woman," he told her, clicking his glass against hers.

After a few sips she suggested that they try the cake. She admitted that Hannah had helped her a little bit with it, and when Ned tried the first bite, he closed his eyes with such an expression of bliss that she laughed. They split a piece, finishing it together, and then rested on the couch, his arm around her shoulders. They were on their second glasses of wine when Ned swallowed. "Nan..."

"Hmm?"

He had unbuttoned the first few buttons of his shirt, and while he hadn't had nearly enough to drink to cloud his thinking, he could still feel the warmth of it rising in his head. "I need to do something," he told her.

She put her wineglass down. "What?" she asked softly.

He knelt at her feet, and she smiled, gazing into his eyes as he took her hands again. "We already did this part," she whispered.

He shook his head. "Not—not this part, baby."

She tilted her head, gazing at him curiously.

He glanced down, then back up at her. "Your father, when I spoke to him... he made me promise that I would not take advantage of... of our living together, and as soon as you feel comfortable, I would be so happy for you to be here. I want to be with you, all the time. Whether it's after we're married or before, I want to be with you as often as we can be.

"But I promise you, right now..." He swallowed again. "From this moment, Nan... I am committed to you. For the rest of our lives. I will love you and cherish you and hold you above all others, and as far as I'm concerned... I would marry you next week. I would marry you tonight. The way I feel about you, the way I always have, it's only grown stronger, the longer we've been together. I feel—Nan, when I'm around you, when I think of you, I _know_ with every fiber of my being that you are the only person on this earth I will ever love, who will ever make me feel whole.

"I just... I want you to understand that I don't take this lightly. We're preparing for our lives together, and I am going to treat you the way I would, I _will_ , as your husband."

She sniffled, her eyes shining. "Ned... I don't know what to say," she whispered, wiping her eyes. "I love you so much, and I always have. You know that. You know how much I love you. But this... I never thought that..." She shook her head. "I love you, and I will cherish you, and you are the only one, you always have been. I want to be with you the rest of my life. I want you to be mine the rest of our lives. And when we're living together, Ned... I want you to help me learn how to do this. I want our marriage to be amazing. And—thank you. You mean so much to me..."

He pushed himself up, and she wrapped herself around him, burying her face against his neck as he held her. "I love you," he whispered, kissing the side of her neck. "Mmm, Nan, I love you so much."

She let out a long sigh against his neck. "There's absolutely no way that Mike will be back tonight—"

Ned chuckled. "Definitely not. All his stuff is moved out."

She reached down and untied the belt of her robe, letting it fall open. "Do you want to make love here?" she asked, moving back to look into his eyes.

Ned swallowed. "Next time," he promised. "I... I had another plan for tonight."

"Oh," she murmured, and gave him a smile. "Okay."

"Give me just one minute."

"One," she promised, as he put her down on the couch.

Once his room was totally ready, Ned slipped out of his clothes, returning to her wearing only a pair of black boxer briefs. Her wineglass had been emptied while he was gone, and she drew her gaze up from his waist to his face, her cheeks already a little flushed. Ned blew out the candles still burning on the coffee table and turned off the television, then reached for her hand. When she rose he pulled her into his arms, and she wrapped her legs around him, giggling as she slipped her arms around him too.

He carried her to his room, to what would be their room, shouldering the door closed behind him. "My future wife," he whispered, gazing into her eyes.

"My future husband," she whispered, smiling as he kissed her, and then he turned so she could see his preparations.

He had pulled back the comforter and left a scatter of red rose petals on his bed, and the room was lit only by the candles on the dresser and bedside. He had attached speakers to his laptop so they could listen to a playlist he had set up for them, for tonight, and music played softly from that corner. "Wow. It's beautiful," she whispered, then turned to him, her eyes sparkling. "So romantic, baby."

He smiled. "I'm glad you think so," he whispered. "I love you so much, Nan."

"I love you too," she murmured, and when Ned put her down at the edge of the bed, she slipped out of her robe, revealing a blush-pink slip trimmed in black ribbon and lace. Her nipples were already hard-tipped under the thin fabric. "Thank you so much for doing all this for me, sweetheart. You are so thoughtful."

"I wanted to treat my girl right," he told her, as he slipped into the bed and she followed. "I know it was a lot to ask you."

Nancy swept her hair out of her face and shook her head. "It would have been," she admitted to him. "It was, when I wasn't ready. Now, though... it's perfect. And I can't wait to be here with you all the time, to start planning the way our lives will be."

"Jan and Mike said they promise to show us what to do."

Nancy smiled, rolling onto her side, reaching up to cup his cheek as he faced her too. As he always did, he took the side nearest the door, protecting her from whatever might come after her, and she moved close to him, brushing her lips against his. "I wouldn't mind if we took a little longer than them, though," she murmured. "I'm only going to have one wedding day, after all, and I want it to be perfect for my man."

"As long as you're there," he told her, "and we manage to make it through the ceremony with no kidnappings or terrorist threats or anything else—"

"I'll do my best," she promised, her eyes sparkling, just before he kissed her.

He ended up on top of her, his fingers flirting with the lace hem of her slip, when the next song began. She nuzzled against his jaw, kissing him. "Mmmm... I remember this song," she murmured against his neck.

"I hope you do," he whispered. "It was playing during our first date."

"Mmm-hmm." She shivered as he slipped her gown up and stroked the side of her panties. "You were so handsome."

"And worried out of my mind," he admitted, pulling back to look into her eyes. "I wanted to make a good impression on you."

"You did," she told him with a smile, searching his eyes. "Of course you did, Ned. From the second I saw you I knew there was something different about you."

"My car stealing tendencies," he teased her, inching her gown up until it was bunched just under her breasts. "I always knew you liked bad boys."

She was grinning, but she reached up and cupped his cheek, bringing her knees up to cradle his hips between. "That was it," she teased him. "I knew I had to reform you from your life of crime."

"And now I'm gonna make an honest woman out of you, Miss Drew." He kissed the tip of her nose, the corner of her mouth. "My beautiful," he kissed the other corner, "sexy," he kissed the tip of her chin, "incredibly smart," he kissed the top of her throat, "totally amazing," he kissed the hollow between her collarbones, "future wife."

"As long as you promise not to steal any more cars," she teased him, letting out a quiet moan as he finally pushed her gown up, baring her to him. "As long as you promise you'll be good, most of the time."

"Most of the time," he agreed, then nuzzled against her breasts, kissing the top of each one. "But maybe I can steal your car again sometimes..."

She shivered as he drew her nipple into his mouth, suckling gently. "Oh... _mmmm_. But if you.... _oh_ , that feels so good... if you steal my car..."

He knew he shouldn't want to, but when he teased the lace band of her panties, he imagined ripping them off her, tearing the delicate fabric to shreds instead of gently pushing them down. He wondered if she would go for that, some night. "Then," he murmured against her breast, pushing her panties down to bare the join of her thighs, "you'll just have to catch me."

"And when I do?"

"Then of course we'll have to have sex in the backseat."

"Mmm. Really?"

He moved down to pull her panties fully off, and she tugged her gown off, leaving her naked and open to him when he returned to her. "Mmm-hmm," he told her, his eyes sparkling. "If you want to."

"Depends on how bad a boy you are," she teased him, and he kissed her again, reaching down to hook her legs around him as he moved over her.

They listened to the songs that had always reminded him of her, of them, as they made love, twining around each other, her skin warm and shadowed in the candlelight. He took his time with her, letting her set the pace, letting her decide when to push his underwear down. When they were both naked, she rolled him onto his back and kissed her way down his chest, nuzzling and licking and sucking, stroking her fingertips down his side, over his hips, his outer thighs. She kissed his inner thighs, and then the next song started and she giggled against his skin.

"Mmm?"

She brought her head up, arching one eyebrow, her blue eyes dancing. "Really?"

He shrugged. "What?"

He knew exactly what she meant, though, and when she laughed again, he joined in. The song playing was incredibly cheesy, but they had danced to it at the Mapleton prom. The male singer's voice was so earnest, and she clapped a closed fist to her bare chest, mouthing the words along with him.

Ned tackled her and she dissolved into giggles, squirming as he pinned her under him. "Are you mocking one of our _songs_ , Miss Drew?"

"Never," she said, making her eyes wide. "I would never."

"Good," he said, then ducked down quickly and sucked hard at her neck. When she realized what he was doing, Nancy began to squeal and shove him away, writhing under him.

"Nedddddd," she groaned. "Baby—"

He pulled back slightly. "You can just wear a turtleneck," he teased her.

"It's _summer!_ Ned..."

He sucked hard a few times at the other side of her neck, where it joined her shoulder. "Are you saying you want a hickey where it won't show?"

"Yes—maybe—"

"Like... here?" He tickled her ribs, enjoying the way she squirmed under him again.

He kept suggesting new places—the sole of her foot, the back of her knee—as the cheesy song ended, and the next one began. When he heard the first few bars, though, he pulled back to look at her, and her smile had gone from jovial to soft, remembering. It was the song that had been playing during their first slow dance, one of the songs they had always considered _theirs_.

"Honey?"

"Hmm?"

"Can we dance to this at our reception?"

"I would love that," he told her, kissing her forehead.

As they listened to the song, he cupped the join of her thighs, stroked her, made sure she was ready for him, and when she clung to him, making soft pleading sounds, he pulled her to him, shifting onto his side. She looped her leg over him and moaned loudly when he slipped between her thighs, the feel of her so incredibly warm and slick and _perfect_ as she clenched tight around him.

"Oh yes, _yes_ ," she whispered, and a part of Ned was always surprised and so delighted when she enjoyed making love. She had been sore, and his penetrating her had been painful for her the first three or four times, and he had hated it for her, hated that something that could give him so much pleasure could cause her pain. But she hadn't given up and he had relaxed her every time, caressing her and stroking her until she parted her legs willingly to him, until she drew him to her again, telling him she wanted to try again.

"God, so good," he whispered, watching her face, the soft smile and the light pleased flush. "Oh, you feel so good, baby. Mmmm."

She clung to him, and when she threaded her fingers through his hair, tipping her chin up to offer him her mouth, he obliged her with a slow, deep kiss. The next song had been playing earlier the night he told her that he loved her for the first time, and she shuddered against him as she recognized it.

"I love you," she whispered, her hips rocking against his as they broke the kiss. "I always have, Ned."

"And I love you," he breathed. "My heart has always belonged to you, Nan."

He held her as he began to move inside her, in slow deep strokes, and she closed her eyes for a moment, her lips parting before she opened her eyes again, gazing deeply into his eyes. "Oh, yes, _yes_ ," she moaned, arching at the apex of his next thrust. "Oh my _God_ , yes."

He rolled onto his back and she moved with him, his hands resting on her hips as she rode him, watching her forehead crease. He had made her come with just his fingers before, watching her face the whole time, the way she looked like she was experiencing so much pleasure that it almost hurt, and he loved to see it.

"Oh, Ned, ohhhh, oh God, _please_ ," she moaned.

"Please?"

"On top of me," she sobbed. "Please, baby."

He rolled her over as the next song started, and she shivered. They had listened to the song in the car when she had told him she wasn't going to Emerson—but she still wanted to be with him. He had given her the locket that day.

"My love," he murmured. "My one, my only."

"Forever," she breathed, gazing up into his eyes as he pressed inside her, until his hips were snug to hers, his full length sheathed inside her. She bucked when he brushed his thumb against her clit.

"Forever," he agreed, leaning down to kiss her, to pin her under him as she began to tremble with her rising climax. He drove into her with long strokes, each one a little harder, and when he rubbed hard against her clit she began to sob in pleasure, digging her nails into his shoulder blades, raking them down his back at the apex of one particularly hard thrust.

"Oh my _God!_ "

"Yes," he growled, making his next thrust harder, and she jerked against him. "Yes, beautiful. So tight, you feel so good, so _perfect_. Yes, baby."

Her hips bucked when he nuzzled against the soft flesh under her ear, then sucked her earlobe into his mouth. "Ned," she whimpered, rocking her hips back and forth, grinding against him.

"You want it?"

"Please," she begged him. "Please, oh God, oh _God!_ Oh, soooooo good..."

She had no idea how crazy it drove him, those nights he was able to feel her sex clench and pulse around his as she began to climax. He gritted his teeth against the impulse to follow and worked in her until she was crying out loudly, her head tipped back, her arms and legs twined around him. "Oh _fuck_ oh yes, yessss," she gasped out. "So good _sooooo good_ , baby, _come_..."

Ned collapsed to her, letting out his breath in a long groan as he obeyed, his hips jerking as her inner flesh tightened around him. She threaded her fingers through his hair as they clung to each other, panting, and he could feel her heart speeding against his skin.

It took a long moment before she chuckled.

"Mmm?"

"You've just set yourself a pretty high bar, Mr. Nickerson," she told him, stroking her fingers through his hair.

Ned moved to look down into her hazed blue eyes, the delight and love in her expression. "And it will just keep getting higher," he vowed, brushing the tip of his nose against hers. "Mrs.—Mrs. Nickerson."

She kept her gaze locked to his for a moment. "I love you," she told him, her voice soft, almost husky.

"And I love you," he whispered. "Always have, always will."


	3. Chapter 3

Nancy pursed her lips as she flipped through the clothes left in her closet at her father's house. She had spent the majority of Saturday packing, and her room was a wreck. Half-full boxes, stacks of clothes and papers, her files were all scattered about. Mindful of the space she would have for her belongings in the apartment, she was trying to decide what to take with her and what to leave at her father's house, but it was hard. She was starting her new life, after all, and she didn't want to start it halfheartedly, with one foot still outside the door.

She was both exhilarated and a little sad at the thought of leaving her father's house. It had always been her home, and had always felt like her home, and her father and Hannah had both told her that she was always welcome there. But living with Ned in the city, being with him when they weren't at work... she felt eager and impatient to have that relationship with him.

He had promised her forever, and she was ready to experience it.

When Bess texted her that she was running thirty minutes late, Nancy gave a sigh of relief. Half the time Bess was crashing with Todd or on fellow actors' couches in the city, but she didn't want to pursue getting her own apartment yet. Nancy wondered silently whether Bess was hoping Todd would suggest that they move in, and that was why she hadn't wanted to tie herself to a year-long lease, but she definitely hadn't mentioned it. The rest of the time Bess was staying at her parents' home, rent-free, as was George. The commute between River Heights and Chicago wasn't great, but it wasn't terrible, and while Nancy was a little disappointed that her two best friends wouldn't be able to hang out quite as often, she was still happy that she would be living with her very best friend in the world.

When George arrived, Nancy was just putting the finishing touches on her makeup. "Wow," George said with a whistle as she saw the disaster area that was Nancy's room. "You sure all this is going to fit at his place?"

Nancy wrinkled her nose at George. "Probably not," she admitted. "Or at least not in his room. But I'll be able to put some of this in the spare bedroom."

"You mean 'your' bedroom," George said with a wink. Both cousins had been amused at Nancy's wide-eyed-innocent remark that _of course_ she and Ned wouldn't be _living together_ , not in a two-bedroom apartment. They would be roommates. Engaged roommates.

Roommates who slept in the same bed.

"So will you still be able to help tomorrow?"

"Oh, sure. Depending on what the payment is," George teased Nancy. "Nah, it's fine."

It took two minutes of frantic searching for Nancy to locate her purse, and they bid Hannah a fond goodbye and headed for George's car. "I still can't believe it," George said, glancing over at Nancy's engagement ring. "I mean, for the longest time I knew you and Ned were almost sure to get hitched, but... wow."

Nancy smiled. "Well, we won't be, yet," she pointed out. "I want to plan the wedding for next summer, or maybe even early fall. I don't want it to be miserably hot."

"So you and Ned are really going to just live together that long?"

Nancy raised her eyebrow at George. "Well, yeah," she said. "We won't be _just_ living together—that was one of Dad's conditions—but yeah. And I can't wait."

George smiled. "You're so lucky. I know Bess is always saying it, but it's true—Ned's a really great guy and I'm glad you two managed to stay together so long."

"Thanks," Nancy said. "So you and Bess are definitely going to be my maids of honor."

George made a soft sound. "Yeah, perpetual bridesmaid. That's me."

Nancy patted her knee. "Hey," she said quietly. "You'll find someone."

The other girl shrugged. "Maybe. It's just hard to find a guy as sweet and considerate as Ned."

"It is," Nancy agreed. "But you're an amazing person, George. And one of these days you'll be running the right marathon or watching the right ballgame, or something..."

"Yeah, sure." George shook her head, tossing her short, dark hair. "The _real_ question of the evening, though, is what color our dresses are going to be. And if you say shell-pink or olive green, I just might fling you bodily out of the car."

Nancy let George change the subject, and when Bess showed up at the restaurant, the waiter had just brought the margarita Nancy had ordered for her. "Nancy!" Bess squealed, giving Nancy a half-hug before she slid into the booth beside her cousin.

"We were just discussing your favorite topic," George told Bess with an eye-roll.

"The newly-crowned sexiest man alive?"

"Okay, strike that, _second_ -favorite," George amended.

Bess had brought a few bridal magazines with her, and when Nancy admitted that she hadn't decided whether the wedding would be in summer or fall, Bess started gesturing with a tortilla chip, saying that a rich chocolate brown with a metallic would be absolutely gorgeous, but for summer, they had so many options...

"Okay, _okay_ ," Nancy protested as Bess finished her first margarita. "We've got plenty of time. I'm just going to focus on moving, for now. And then I swear we'll get together and start talking about venues and catering and cakes and all that. Deal?"

Bess nodded, while George reached for her drink again. "So can I be the maid of honor who coordinates showers, or maybe roughs up people?" George asked with a sardonic smile. "Or maybe the one who comes up with a body sculpting class for the bride and bridesmaids to do?"

Bess wrinkled her nose at the suddenly gleeful look on her cousin's face. "You _would_ love that, wouldn't you."

"Oh, come on. You said that class last week wasn't so bad."

"That's because I was suffering from sleep deprivation," Bess said with a lofty toss of her straw-blonde hair.

"Or possibly a crush on that guy in the row in front of us?"

Bess promised to help Nancy move her belongings into Ned's apartment, but she also asked when Nancy was planning on having an engagement party and registering for gifts, and Nancy had a mini-freakout. While she had helped Helen with wedding preparations, and was watching Jan go through much of the same, both of them depended heavily on their mothers' opinions and suggestions. While both Bess and George had been in weddings before, neither of them had really coordinated the entire thing.

The following morning, before George dragged herself out of bed and over to Nancy's father's house to help her with moving, Nancy called Ned's parents' house and arranged to have lunch with Ned's mother that week. Part of her was still just a little nervous about being around Ned's mother alone, worried that Edith Nickerson would treat her differently now that she knew Nancy and Ned would be living together and sleeping together, but avoiding her wouldn't solve anything. Eventually she would have to face her.

And, Nancy reminded herself, Ned had handled telling her father that they would be living together. So she could do this.

They arranged to meet at a bistro a few blocks away from Nancy's workplace, and Edith arrived five minutes early. She looked polished, in her shirtdress and low heels, and Nancy swallowed the sudden spike in anxiety. She had dressed slightly better than usual for work that morning, knowing that she would be meeting Edith later. Her navy pencil skirt and swiss dot shirt were spotless, and her pumps made her look more sophisticated, in her own mind anyway.

"Nancy," Edith greeted her with a smile. "It's a pleasure to see you, dear."

Nancy smiled. "Thank you for coming to have lunch with me," she said. "I'm sorry for the inconvenience of it being in the city..."

Edith waved her hand. "Gives me an excuse to shop," she said with a teasing smile.

After they had chatted for a while and placed their orders, Nancy took a sip of her water, then flattened the paper from her straw with the tip of her finger. "Mrs. Nickerson—"

"Edith."

"Edith," Nancy said with a little nod. "Um... I've started just thinking about my—well, our—wedding, and Bess and George will be my maids of honor, but—there's a lot to plan. Like the engagement party. I know Hannah would be delighted to help coordinate the whole thing, but... I've also noticed that... well, all the weddings I've helped with, helped coordinate, the brides... talked to their moms a lot. And I... well, I have Hannah, and I love her, I really do, but... I was wondering if you would like to help me plan too. It would mean a lot to me."

Edith's eyes were shining a little when Nancy glanced up at her. "Oh, Nancy, I would love to help you," she said. "I know we've talked about this a little, or maybe it's just that I mention it to Ned so much—but I always wanted a daughter. I wouldn't give Ned up for worlds, but I also wish I'd had a little girl. Helping you plan your wedding would mean so much to me, too."

Nancy's hopeful smile widened into a grin. "Oh, thank you," she said, and she could feel herself blushing faintly. "And I know you and Mr. Nickerson might have been a little... well, not entirely happy, that Ned and I are moving in together."

Edith tilted her head slightly. "I can't say that I was overjoyed when he told us," she confessed. "But things would be different if you two _weren't_ planning on getting married. And I can't say that I don't understand it. After all, when he was at Emerson, I know the long-distance thing wasn't easy for either of you."

"It wasn't," Nancy said, and looked down at her ring.

"Would you mind if I look at it, dear?"

"Oh! Oh, of course," Nancy said, slipping the ring off her finger so Ned's mother could look at it. "Ned had it inscribed for me."

"Oh, it is so darling," Edith said with a sigh as she looked down at it. "I'm glad he had the setting redone. It's lovely."

"Thank you for letting me wear it," Nancy said, slipping it back onto her finger when Edith handed it back. "It means a lot to me that I'm not just wearing a ring Ned bought for me, that it has a history behind it."

Edith smiled. "I've been waiting a long time to see that stone on your finger, Nancy," she confessed. "A long time. And I'm so glad that you'll be my daughter-in-law. You make Ned so happy, dear."

Nancy glanced down again, her cheeks warming. "He makes me happy too," she said softly. "I can't wait for us to start planning our wedding and our life together."

Ned didn't quite understand why, but Nancy took her time with gradually moving her clothes and other possessions into his place, and two weeks passed before she officially moved in. While they spent time together, while she unpacked and they reorganized the spare bedroom to keep her files and spare equipment, she didn't stay the night with him.

It wasn't until the Friday night two weeks after they were officially engaged that she came to his place with a bottle of wine in her hands, a bow wrapped around its neck, and Ned grinned when he saw it. "Does this mean...?"

She nodded, standing on her tiptoes to give him a kiss. "Yep. If you're okay with it," she replied. "I mean, I did say goodbye to Dad and Hannah, but if you don't want..."

"Oh, I definitely _do_ want."

"I could stay in the second bedroom if you're not sure," Nancy continued, looking down, but her grin was ruining the whole effect.

Ned took the bottle out of her hands and swept her up into his arms, giving her a thorough kiss. "My fiancée is definitely _not_ sleeping in the spare bedroom tonight," he said, his voice a low firm growl, and she shivered. "I mean, unless...?"

She met his gaze with a giggle. "No, I'm definitely interested in staying in your bed tonight," she told him, running her fingers through his dark hair.

"Our bed."

" _Our_ bed," she repeated, with a small shiver. "Now, darling, were you in the mood for spaghetti for dinner?"

"Sounds great," he said, putting her down with another brief kiss. "Want me to make the garlic bread?"

A small part of her had been half expecting that he would leave her in the kitchen to handle their dinner while he went back to watching sports or playing his video game, and she was touched that he had offered to help. "Sure," she told him, reaching for his hand and giving it a squeeze. "Mind if I get changed first? I'd hate to get sauce on this shirt."

She changed clothes in his— _their_ , she reminded herself again; it was hard to think of it that way yet—room, opting for a pair of comfortable jeans and a cute blue flower-sprigged short-sleeved top instead of the cotton shorts and tank top she really wanted to wear. She wanted to look cute for him for their first meal together, living together, especially given what she had planned for after dinner. Her blush-pink-and-black bra and panty set looked more sophisticated and flirty than her usual utilitarian sets, and she fully intended on displaying her new lingerie for him later.

Before she left the room, she glanced around, a small smile on her face. Her clothes were here. Her makeup was in the bathroom, and she had put up curtains along with the blinds and put a duvet cover on the comforter. They would share the room, and she couldn't wait for that.

They each had a glass of wine with dinner, chatting about what they had done at work, and the progress Nancy had made on their wedding plans. They had agreed that mid-September of the following year might be the best time, and Bess had already practically demanded a color scheme of deep chocolate brown and a bold orange color that was a shade between pumpkin and rust, and her every other text message was a photo of a bouquet or bridesmaid dress ideas. Carson wanted the wedding to take place at his church in River Heights, and the newly renovated sanctuary would look absolutely beautiful in their wedding pictures. The reception venue was another matter; they hadn't decided yet on either the River Heights or Mapleton country clubs, or a more sophisticated setting in Chicago.

After dinner, Nancy and Ned finished off the last slices of a cake Hannah had sent over earlier in the week when Nancy had brought in another set of boxes, and sprawled on the couch together, Nancy's head on Ned's shoulder. "Guess I have to make the cakes now," she chuckled.

"No more Hannah Gruen specials?" Ned said, and Nancy had a feeling that the dismay in his voice wasn't actually feigned.

"Mmm. She made me swear I'd come home for cooking lessons," Nancy admitted. "So she and Dad would get to see me, _and_ I could bring the results back here for you."

"Well, I guess that would work," Ned said, ruffling her hair.

Nancy glanced over at him and grinned. "So you _might_ trust me to feed your raging sweet tooth?" she teased him.

"Hey, I'm looking at the person who was star of Jacques Bonet's cooking class," Ned teased her right back. "I have complete faith in you. And while you're doing that, maybe I could get my dad to teach me a thing or two about grilling—since I need the practice. And then we could have a little potluck and sample all our efforts."

"Or order out for pizza," Nancy said, and before she had even finished saying it she was practically howling with laughter as Ned violently tickled her ribs. "Hey! No tickling!"

"Were you seriously trying to bring up the lemonade chicken again?" Ned demanded, pinning her to the couch, his eyes glinting with mischief. "Because I'll have you know, Miss Drew—"

Nancy shrieked, still trying to squirm away from him. "Stop, stop! Oh, I can't laugh this much, my stomach still hurts from all the spaghetti!"

Ned relented, and Nancy immediately pounced on him, tickling him right back. "Oh _no you don't_ ," he cried, trying to maneuver away from her.

Once they had called an uneasy truce, both of them flushed and laughing, they settled back on the couch, this time out of easy reach. Ned made a playful lunge for her, grabbing her knee, and Nancy pushed away from him, sweeping her hair out of her glowing face, still grinning.

They were together. They didn't have to rush through sex, to count the seconds until she had to leave. They had the time to be playful with each other again, and she had missed that.

And, even better, she didn't have to lie about where she was or what she was doing. She was with the man who would be her husband, and she didn't feel any guilt at all about it, only love and anticipation.

When Ned went to the kitchen to refill their wine glasses, Nancy reached into her purse and pulled out a small box wrapped in pale blue paper, a silver bow on top. Ned noticed it as soon as he returned, putting their glasses down, and he glanced over at her, his eyebrows up.

"Nan?"

Once he put the glasses down and sat down on the couch again, Nancy took a deep breath, meeting his expectant gaze. "I know you were wondering why I didn't start moving in right away," she said. "Or why I waited so long. Or maybe I just thought you were curious."

"I did wonder," he admitted, searching her eyes.

"It wasn't that I didn't want to be here," she said, and combed her hair back from her face with her fingers again. "It was just... what you told me, the night you proposed to me. That you would treat this as though we were married, when we started living together."

Ned immediately opened his mouth. "Nan, I swear," he began, shaking his head.

She reached up and cupped his cheek, brushing her thumb over his lips, silencing him. "No, no. It was sweet of you. It _is_ sweet of you. When I talked to your mom, she mentioned it, and—and I'm grateful. The way we act now, I feel like that will be the way we act after we're married, and... that's good. Because I won't love you any less or more with a wedding band on my finger, Ned. Getting married is important to me, and I can't wait to experience that with you, but it's not like we'll be flipping some switch, and things will suddenly change in the way we treat each other. At least, I don't think that will happen." She glanced down. "I think you'll be the same man I've always loved, that you will treat me with the same love and attention that you always have, and that's what I want.

"But, the thing is... you gave me this amazing ring to express how you felt about me, and you swore you loved me, and... usually there's no equivalent, you know? I don't give _you_ a diamond to wear on your finger too. But I... I wanted to do something anyway." She reached for the present and handed it to him. "This is for you."

Ned glanced at her one last time, then took off the paper and opened the box. Inside, nestled against the black velvet interior, was a silver pocketwatch on a chain.

"Oh, Nancy... you didn't have to."

"I know," she told him, with a nod. "But I wanted to have it engraved, and I wanted it to be perfect..."

Ned pressed the clasp with his thumb and the watch opened. On the opposite side of the cover was a phrase in old French, _a ma vie de coer entier_. He glanced over at her again, his gaze dark with emotion. "I love it," he murmured. "It's beautiful, sweetheart."

Nancy reached for his hand and he let her take it. "I, Nancy Drew," she began, keeping her gaze locked to his even through the shivering she could feel inside her, "take you, Ned Nickerson, as my husband. To have and to hold, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, from this day forward, until death do us part." She took a deep breath. "The inscription says 'my whole heart for my whole life,' and that's what I give you. It has always been yours, Ned."

Her sight was shimmering with tears by the end of it, and she blinked, sending them down her cheeks. She gave him a smile, and for a moment he just gazed at her, his own eyes shining as well.

"I, Ned Nickerson," he said, and took a deep breath too, then let it out, "take you, Nancy Drew, as my wife. To have and to hold, from this day forward. For better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health. I will love and cherish you, until death do us part. And, my love, I offer you everything, all of me. My whole heart for all my life. It has always belonged to you."

By the end of it, Nancy just gave up on trying to hold back the tears, and her next blink sent another wave of them down her cheeks. They were words, just words; no one would ever know they had spoken them now, and Ned wouldn't wear a ring to mark him as hers, not yet. But she had meant what she said, and saying the words to him now, hearing him say them to her in return...

Ned reached up and brushed her wet cheek with his thumb. "Baby, I mean that, every word," he said softly. "I meant it the night I put that ring on your finger, and I mean it now. As far as I'm concerned... that... that was real."

She nodded, once, and he brought his other hand up to fully cup her face, brushing the tears from her other cheek. "I meant it too," she whispered. "And I'll say those words to you again in front of the altar next September—although by then I'm hoping I'll have come up with something a little more original—but this _is_ forever. And I just don't want to waste any more time without you knowing that."

Ned leaned forward and kissed her so sweetly, and she returned it, arching into his touch. "Nan," he whispered, when it ended, his lips brushing her earlobe. "Baby, I know you said no switch was going to flip, it wouldn't suddenly be like magic..."

But it had been. It was.

Her husband.

She let out her breath in a long shivering sigh. "God," she whispered, grasping his biceps when his lips grazed her neck. "Oh my God, Ned."

"So your dad talked to you, too," he murmured, moving back so he could look into her face, a small smile on his lips.

"Hmm?"

His eyes widened just a little. "When I told him that I'd asked you to move in with me, he said he would almost prefer if we had a private ceremony now...?"

"He did?" Nancy said, searching Ned's eyes.

"You mean..."

She shook her head. "He didn't tell me that," she said.

"So you just..."

"Yeah." She brushed her hair back. "So you thought—"

"I..." Ned cupped her cheek again. "I told him I would marry you—pretty much as soon as we could get a license, if that's what you wanted," he murmured. "I just didn't want to take the whole big ceremony and everything away from you."

She smiled. "He didn't tell me that either," she said quietly.

The expression on Ned's handsome face became solemn. "So you just wanted to do this, on your own," he said.

"Yeah," she whispered. "And I'm sorry if—"

He brushed his thumb against her lips. "Baby, that means so much to me."

"More than when you thought I was just doing what Dad had asked?"

He nodded. "I'll give you anything you want," he told her. "Anything. If you want to have that big ceremony in September, if you want to go to the courthouse next week and make this official..."

She held his gaze. "For me it is official," she said softly. "And next September we can have the big ceremony in front of our family and friends and be public about this, but we're living together, committed to each other, building our future. I want to learn with you. I want to learn how to do this, and I want everything we can have together, making dinner together and watching movies and maybe the occasional stakeout..."

"And that's all I've ever wanted," he told her softly. "To be with you, like this. And I'll be over the moon when everyone else knows, too... but I love you so much, Nan. This means so much to me."

He kissed her, softly, and she returned it, over and over, until they were both breathless. When they parted she nestled against his shoulder, and he held the pocketwatch in the middle of his palm, gazing down at it.

Then he closed his fingers around it. "I'll always keep it," he promised her, and kissed the crown of her head. "And think of you every time I look at it."

She placed her hand over his, brushing her thumb over his knuckles.

Once they finished their glasses of wine, Ned rose to take them into the kitchen, and Nancy followed him when she realized she wanted some water. She reached for a glass, standing up on her toes, and Ned brushed by her in the tight space, his hand drifting against her hip.

She closed her eyes at the feel of him so close to her, catching his hand in hers, and when he turned back to her, her gaze met his, her lips parted. He stepped back in, close to her, and she wrapped her left arm around him, her right hand still joined to his, as he kissed her. He made a soft noise as his knee slipped between hers, and when his hand tightened on her hip, she followed his lead and let him boost her so he could pin her against the counter, his hips snug between her parted legs.

And God, God she was burning up, her hips already rocking in anticipation as he slowly ground against her, his strokes hard and deliberate. She made a soft pleading sound, flushing as they moved together, his tongue stroking against hers.

"Nan," he murmured when they broke the kiss, and he slipped his fingers into her hair. Her eyes fluttered closed as he nuzzled against her neck. "Mmm, baby..."

"I want you," she whispered. "Please."

He wrapped his arms around her and held her to him as he carried her to their room, and when he put her down on the bed, he turned on the bedside lamp. She pulled her shirt off, and Ned made a soft appreciative sound when he saw her bra.

"You look so beautiful, sweetheart."

She smiled, reaching for her fly, and Ned took that over, unfastening her jeans and pulling them down her smooth, slender legs. "So do you," she told him as he pulled his shirt off. "I love you so much."

She helped him take his pants off, and when he came to her she wrapped herself around him, arching to put herself in as much contact with him as she could. When she looked up at him, though, she felt tears prick in her eyes again.

They had only been words. She knew that if they somehow did break up after this, no one else would know they had exchanged these vows, no one would know what they had sworn to each other besides the two of them. And it had taken her a long time, over the course of their relationship, to start believing that they could last, to trust that what she felt for him and what he felt for her was enough.

She couldn't imagine a life without him anymore. She didn't even want to.

She made a soft sound and Ned moved back to look into her eyes, his gaze sympathetic. "Shhh," he whispered, brushing his thumb over her cheek as a tear slipped down. "Are you okay?"

She nodded. "Yeah," she whispered, running her fingers through his hair. "I'm okay."

He leaned down and kissed her cheekbone. "You mean so much to me," he whispered, and she shivered as his breath warmed her skin. "What you did tonight, baby... you are all I have ever wanted, to be with you, like this..."

She smiled, and when he kissed his way down to her collarbone, when he nuzzled against her through her bra, she shivered again. "I love you so much," she whispered. "And I... oh, Ned... I want to give you everything, _everything_..."

He had slipped the strap of her bra halfway down her arm when he pulled back to look into her face. "I have everything I want right here," he told her. "Everything. I love you more than I could ever say, sweetheart. I want to give you everything, too."

He leaned down to kiss her as he slipped his arms underneath her and unhooked her bra, and their kiss deepened after he pulled it off. He rolled onto his back and pulled her on top of him, and she let out a soft moan as the sensitive tips of her breasts brushed against his chest.

"My beautiful girl," he whispered, running his palms up and down her back as she ground against him. "God, Nan, you feel so good..."

She nuzzled against his neck, moaning at the pleasure as she deliberately stroked the slit of her sex against his, through their underwear. "Yes," she whispered, angling her hips, the tips of her breasts dragging against his warm skin on her next stroke. "Mmmm, that feels so good, baby."

They made out until Ned began to push down her panties, his hips rocking up against hers, and she let him, reaching for his own underwear in return. When they were naked she knelt down and licked the head of his cock, and he let out a shivering sigh as he threaded his fingers through her hair. "Mmmm," he murmured as she bobbed down, taking more of his cock each time, stroking the tip of her tongue against the line of his shaft.

"God, _yes_ ," he murmured, and she felt his fingers tighten a little against his scalp as she fondled his balls. "Mmmm, _yeah,_ baby. _Fuck._ "

He was panting, and so was she, when he gently tugged, urging her back up a few moments later. "I'm close," he said. "Baby, are you ready?"

"Yeah," she whispered, and she was trembling as she moved over him. He swallowed, and she watched incredulously as he scrambled off the bed.

Then he reached for her, flipping her onto her back and tugging her to him so her hips were at the edge of the bed. She locked her gaze to his as he moved between her open legs, then took her calves and wrapped them around his waist. She planted her elbows and palms on the bed so she could support her weight as she locked her ankles at the small of his back, and her hips were already rocking in anticipation.

He fitted himself just inside her, and when he drove into her with a long first thrust she whimpered, her nails dragging against the sheet. " _Ned_ ," she breathed. "Oh _God_..."

He arched over her, driving into her again, so deep, and she choked a little, crying out. His thumb found her clit and she immediately tightened around him, crying out again. "Yes yes yes _yesss_ ," she moaned, rolling her hips.

"You like that, gorgeous?"

She nodded. "Oh my God, so good!" she told him, her voice rising into a squeal at his next thrust, as he kept stroking her clit. "Oh _God!_ "

He smiled, and when she arched and tipped her head back, her breasts bouncing with his thrusts, she began to sob at the pleasure of it as he drove into her more rapidly. He gave an extra jerk to his hips on the next thrust and she tried to muffle her cry; she didn't want to upset the neighbors the first night she was living with him. "So good," she sobbed, and shuddered when he cupped her breast. "Ohhhh..."

He was frantically rubbing her clit when she finally came, her heels digging hard against the small of his back to press him hard against her, and he collapsed to her, pinning her to the mattress. She wrapped her arms around him as her legs fell open, and both of them were panting at the exertion, their bodies slick and warm.

"Mmmm," she sighed, and pressed a kiss against his shoulder as she shivered with the aftershocks. "Mmmm. That was so good, baby."

Ned chuckled and kissed her temple. "Yeah," he murmured. "And now we get to do that whenever we want."

"It's gonna be a lot," she told him, running her fingers through his hair.

He shook his head, moving so he could brush the tip of his nose against hers. "But it will never be enough," he murmured. "I will never have enough of you, Nan."

"And I will never have enough of you," she whispered, kissing him again.

\--

While the weather was warm, the first faint hint of fall was in the air, the dry scent of dying grass and leaves stained red and gold. Bess made one last adjustment to Nancy's rust-colored sash, then came around, giving her a thumb's up.

Hannah had come armed with a fully-stocked sewing kit, and she let her eye drift critically one last time over Nancy. She didn't miss a single thing, not the headpiece pinned to Nancy's red-gold hair, not the nip of her slender waist as it was emphasized by her lace-embellished gown, not the bottom of her hem or the ribbon-wrapped bouquet in her hands. When she looked back into Nancy's eyes, though, that eagle eye had softened, and she gave Nancy a smile.

"You look perfect," she said quietly.

Hannah and Edith had been with Nancy through all the arrangements and planning, the dress fittings, the selection of the venue, everything. They, along with Bess and sometimes George, had helped her make all the decisions, to make this day the most perfect one either she or Ned could imagine. Over the year, Nancy had grown very close to the woman who would be her mother-in-law, and her advice about the wedding, and about Ned, had been invaluable. Edith had been by Nancy's side for most of the day, but had gone to check on Ned and James and the other attendants one last time. She stepped into the room and Nancy turned carefully on her heels, and Edith smiled.

"They're ready," she told the woman who would very soon be her daughter-in-law. "Oh, _Nancy_. When he sees you..." Edith shook her head. "You look so beautiful, dear."

Nancy smiled, looking down at her bouquet, her French manicure, the sparkling engagement ring she had slipped onto her thumb in anticipation of the exchange of wedding bands.

Today it would be official.

Over the past year, Nancy and Ned had lived together, learning how to work together, how to divide their responsibilities and resolve their arguments. Some nights had been harder than others, and it had taken both of them some time. Ned had hated when she was home late, when she was injured, when she was out of place and he didn't know where she was, and Nancy had bristled at that, initially perceiving it as distrust. Nancy had been irritated when he played his videogame instead of talking to her, or when she asked him to do something and he put it off—and she just took care of it herself instead of asking him again or waiting. But they had come through it, and they were stronger now than they ever had been. The low points hadn't been easy, but the high points, making up after those fights, lingering in bed together on Saturday mornings, just the sheer luxury of being together without having a ticking clock to watch... it felt like that eternal conversation between the two of them, the communion they had shared, finally uninterrupted for so long, just drew them closer.

He had been her husband, and she his wife, in every way, save this one. And she was walking into their marriage with her eyes wide open, totally and completely sure that this life was what she wanted, that they were meant for each other. While they had been able to frustrate and infuriate each other so much, especially at the beginning, now that they understood each other, now that they had been through premarital counseling and lived with each other for so long, she had been almost impatient for this day to finally come. Now everyone else would see what they had already been sharing with each other, and while they had vowed this to each other a year before in private, she was more than ready to share it with the world.

He was the only man for her. Finally he would wear the ring that would mark him as taken; finally she would have the name Edith had been addressing her by for months now.

Mrs. Ned Nickerson.

The time flew by, and Nancy wished she could slow it down and save all of it. She was so touched by the expression on her father's face when he saw her in her gown and veil for the first time, and Bess and George were full of reassurance and laughter before they marched down the aisle in front of her.

And then, her arm through her father's, Nancy began her own walk down the aisle. Ned's parents were seated at the front, and she saw the smiling faces of Ned's family and her own, their friends, Mike and Jan, Helen and her husband, cousins and grandparents, aunts and uncles.

And then she saw Ned, her husband, the man whose heart she had always possessed, who had always held her heart in return. He was holding the pocketwatch in his palm; she could see the silver glint of it. Then he put it in his pocket and his dark eyes were so intent as he gazed at her.

And her heart was beating so fast. She couldn't feel the ground beneath her feet.

"I've been waiting for this for so long," he whispered with a smile as he took her hand, before they turned to face the minister. "You're just in time, Mrs. Nickerson."

"I wouldn't have missed this for worlds," she told him softly, her eyes sparkling. "Mr. Nickerson."


End file.
